Gunshot ends
felon’s life

The Waipahu man with a violent
history was released from prison
a month ago

Robert Sua came from a notorious Waipahu family of several brothers with violent histories that include murder, attempted murder, assault and armed robbery.

Robert had his owned troubled life, but he was trying to change since his release from prison about a month ago, his mother said.

On Saturday his attempt at reform came to an end. The 27-year-old Sua died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, police said.

Police said there were no signs of foul play. The incident occurred at about 4:30 p.m. at 94-351 Pupumomi St., where Sua had lived with his parents, Faleupolu and Etuale Sua, since his release from prison.

"He always talked about getting his life back together," said Faleupolu Sua as tears welled up in her eyes while she sat outside her apartment with her husband. "He's really a good boy."

Faleupolu, who wears a brace on her left leg due to a sprain, said her son took care of her and his father, who is wheelchair-bound. He cooked and helped his father shave, she said.

Sua's mother said he spent five years at a prison in Colorado before he returned to Hawaii.

In 1997, police fired several shots at Sua in Waipahu after he charged at one of the police officers. Police had responded to calls of a man wielding a kitchen knife in each hand. He then took a man hostage as police officers approached him.

During his trial, Sua testified that his life meant nothing to him as he was surrounded by police officers with their guns drawn.

"I wanted them to shoot me so bad. I just walked straight to the barrel of the gun," Sua said in court. "I never intended to kill anybody. I felt everybody was against me. I couldn't handle living my life. I had so many problems inside. ... What I did was wrong."

He was convicted of reckless endangering and first-degree terroristic threatening.

According to his mother, Sua, his girlfriend and sister were in his bedroom playing with a gun when she heard a gunshot while she was sitting in the living room.

Sua attended Damien High School for a short time before he left to live in Samoa. According to a 1998 Star-Bulletin story, he wanted to be a boxer but got sidetracked after he went to live in Samoa.

Police arrested Sua more than 40 times as a juvenile. In 1993 he was convicted of stabbing two men and escaping from a police car. He was sentenced to a 10-year prison term, but the Hawaii Paroling Authority released him after he served three years and four months.