MEDIA RELEASE

Sean Smith II

A Kona man has been charged with three offenses in connection with an accidental shooting while illegally target practicing in the forest.

At 6:26 p.m. Tuesday (March 31), Hāmākua police responded to a forest area off Pa‘auilo Landing Road, where 24-year-old Sean Smith II of Kailua-Kona reported that a 24-year-old woman had been wounded while the two were target practicing in an area that is not a designated gun range. The woman was taken to North Hawaiʻi Community Hospital for treatment of a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to her leg.

Smith was arrested and taken to the Hilo police cellblock while detectives from the Area I Criminal Investigations Section continued the investigation. Investigation revealed that no one else was in the area at the time and that a shot fired from Smith’s firearm ricocheted, causing the injury.

After conferring with prosecutors, detectives charged Smith at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday (April 1) with second-degree reckless endangering and two weapons offenses. He was released from police custody after posting $10,500 bail.