Sheriff's deputy shot, killed at nightclub

He was shot while working as a bartender at Osake Sushi Bar and Lounge

A masked gunman shot and killed an off-duty sheriff's deputy during a robbery attempt at a Kapiolani Boulevard nightclub, police said.

Deputy sheriff Daniel Brown Sanchez, 27, who also worked at Osake Sushi Bar and Lounge as a bartender, was taken to the Queen's Medical Center where he died at 5:40 p.m. yesterday.

Police Lt. Bill Kato told local television stations that a masked man entered Osake through the kitchen at about 3:10 a.m. and ordered everyone down on the floor in the lounge before he shot three to four rounds into the roof and wall.

At that point, Sanchez jumped the 33-year-old suspect and was shot during the struggle.

"The suspect was disarmed by the other employees. They were able to hold him down until police arrived, and he was arrested at the scene," Kato said.

Police say they plan to charge the gunman with murder and robbery.

Sanchez has been with the sheriff's department for five years and is currently assigned to District Court.

His mother had flown in from the Big Island to stay with Sanchez, who was an only child, Public Safety Department spokeswoman Louise Kim- McCoy said.

"We're extremely sad," she said. "We were hoping and praying that he would survive."

Osake bouncer "Angel" Rutkowski said he was relaxing at a nearby pool hall after his shift ended last night when he heard about the shooting.

"I wish I was here," he said. "I was too late. We all went to the hospital. It makes me mad that I wasn't here to do anything."

About Sanchez he said, "He was always smiling. If ever you had a problem, you go to him. He's a great guy."

Only a few customers were in the restaurant at about 8 p.m. last night. The Osake manager said the business would issue a statement today on the incident, but declined comment last night.

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