Clues sought in fatal stabbing

A man is slashed to death with a sword and knife in an attack with no clear motive

Police are looking for two men who jumped out of their car in Waimalu yesterday morning and slashed a man to death, with one attacker apparently armed with a samurai sword, one witness said.

Police are asking the public for help investigating the attack, which happened at 2 a.m. outside Star Karaoke at the Waimalu Shopping Center, 98-020 Kamehameha Highway.

According to homicide investigators, the 21-year-old victim had walked to the shopping center from his home to buy cigarettes and ran into a group of friends and started talking to them.

That was when police said the two suspects arrived in a white or silver-colored sedan, jumped out and attacked the victim. One of the suspects was armed with what appeared to be a kitchen knife, and the other with some sort of sword.

"They stabbed him numerous times," said Homicide Lt. Bill Kato. "They came quickly, attacked him. When he dropped to the ground, they left."

Kato said the victim was cut on his neck, back and chest, including one slashing wound that trailed from his left shoulder down to his lower chest area. He was pronounced dead at the Pali Momi Medical Center about 40 minutes after the attack.

At the scene of the attack, police found a pair of dark sunglasses, a baseball cap and a leather knife sheath.

Homicide investigators said they had no suspects and no motive for the attack.

"They didn't search him or anything," Kato said of the suspects. "It seemed like these people kind of came out of nowhere. At this time we don't even know if they knew each other."

Workers at a Korean restaurant near the site of the attack said they believed the victim might have been an Aiea High School student who had just recently returned from Alaska, where he worked in the fishing industry.

One worker said when she arrived at work yesterday morning, there was still blood on the sidewalk.

"You mean they haven't caught them yet?" asked the woman, who did not want to be identified. "Oh no, how come? I'm so scared."

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call 911 or the HPD Criminal Investigation Division at 529-3115. Calls may also be made to CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or by dialing *CRIME on a cellular phone.