According to The Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Honolulu police Chief Arthur “Joe” Logan told reporters that Tafokitau, 44, was killed in a gun battle with police and that two officers, one a Crime Reduction Unit officer on the force for five years and the second a patrol officer with two years of service, were wounded and hospitalized.
HPD posted his information and mugshot to X for the Crimestoppers program indicating that he was wanted for Attempted Murder and Robbery.
In a statement, the Honolulu PD wrote, "On Saturday, December 16, 2023, at approximately 12:45 a.m., an unknown male suspect who was later positively identified as Sidney Tafokitau got into a verbal argument with a group of males on Rose Street in Kalihi. He subsequently used a firearm to shoot at the group, striking one male, and a knife to cause bodily injury to a second male. On December 21, 2023, multiple no-bail warrants were issued for his arrest.
"Today at 11:35 a.m., plainclothes officers attempted to apprehend Tafokitau in a stolen vehicle in Kalihi when he fired multiple times at their unmarked vehicle. Tafokitau fled on Likelike Highway. Shortly after, he stole another vehicle at gunpoint."
Chief Logan said that a fourth, unidentified man was also injured “by a police vehicle," and he added that whether or not the man was involved in a crime is presently under investigation.
The three men injured were all taken to The Queen’s Medical Center and as of this report, no information on their status has been made available. However, the Star-Advertiser cited sources that the Crime Response Unit officer sustained a grazing head wound from a bullet and that the patrol officer suffered a gunshot wound to the stomach.
On Monday, Chief Logan broke down the complex chase that HPD undertook to bring Tafokitau to justice. Reportedly the pursuit crossed the island from Kapahulu to the North Shore and back to the University area of Honolulu during which Tafokitau evaded officers stopping only to make several "U-turns and shoot at officers.”
Though the timeline is unclear, it is reported that Tafokitau shot a 39-year-old woman that morning on Moanalua Freeway, and that at that point he was already wanted for attempted murder. EMT's treated the woman for "multiple apparent gunshot wounds." Police officers then responded to a report of an aggravated assault near the eastbound Airport exit of the freeway.
The Crimestoppers alert was then published with HPD asking for the public's assistance to locate the suspect.
The pursuit ended at approximately 4:00 p.m. near University Avenue and Dole Street. The President of the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers Robert Cavaco told the outlet, "This afternoon, two Honolulu Police Department officers were shot while attempting to apprehend a dangerous attempted murder suspect.
"We are praying for the full and swift recovery of our injured brothers who risked their lives and sacrificed their safety today to protect the lives and safety of the public. Out of respect for the officers and their families, we will not be disclosing any additional information at this time."
Prior to the events of January 1, Tafokitau was wanted for first-degree attempted murder and first-degree robbery related to incidents on Dec. 16 in which he allegedly engaged multiple men in an argument in Kalihi shooting at the group, striking one man and stabbing a second. By Dec. 21, "multiple no-bail warrants were issued for his arrest,” according to the Honolulu PD.
The ANSWER Hawaii AM 690/94.3 FM summarized the situation in a post to X, writing, "The suspect of 3 different armed attacks over the past 3 months is dead. How could the justice system trust he was not a violent threat to others… not once, but twice!"
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