MEDIA RELEASE

The man who died Thursday afternoon following an officer-involved shooting has been identified as 36-year-old BJ Medeiros of Keaʻau.

An autopsy conducted Friday determined that he died from a gunshot wound to his torso.

In response to a 1:20 p.m. call Thursday reporting a man possibly armed with a weapon, Puna District officers combed the Hawaiian Paradise Park subdivision and located him on Beach Road off Kaloli Drive seated in a pickup truck.

Two officers approached the vehicle. They made contact with the man and a struggle ensued. During the struggle, the man in the truck pointed a handgun at one of the officers. In response, that officer fired his duty weapon, fatally injuring the gunman.

The officer who fired his weapon has been with the Hawaiʻi Police Department for nine years. The other officer, who has five years’ experience, was taken to Hilo Medical Center, where he was treated for minor injuries and then released.

No officers were injured by gunfire.

As is standard practice in any police-involved shooting, the Police Department’s Area I Criminal Investigations Section is conducting a criminal investigation into the shooting and the Office of Professional Standards is conducting an administrative investigation.

Police ask anyone who witnessed the incident to contact Detective Tuckloy Aurello at 961-2385.

Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call the island wide Crime Stoppers number at 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. Crime Stoppers is a volunteer program run by ordinary citizens who want to keep their community safe. Crime Stoppers doesn’t record calls or subscribe to caller ID. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.