Hawaii Shooting: 2 Police Officers Killed in Honolulu, 3 Others Unaccounted For

Two police officers in Hawaii have lost their lives in a shooting following a house call they [...]

By Victoria Moghaddami

Two police officers in Hawaii have lost their lives in a shooting following a house call they responded to for a woman who needed help at her home in Waikiki on Sunday. According to Honolulu Police Chief Susan Ballard, officers Tiffany Enriquez and Kaulike Kalama were shot and killed by Jerry Hanel when they responded to a female who had been stabbed inside her residence around 9 a.m. local time. Hanel is currently a suspect in the investigation but has yet to be found, CNN reports.

The first officer who arrived on the scene was the one who discovered the victim. Following their arrival, two more officers pulled up and when all three were walking down the driveway, Hanel, who is believed to be in his 60s, allegedly shot at them, Ballard said, hitting Enriquez and Kalama. Enriquez was a 7-year veteran with the department, while Kalama was a 9-year veteran.

After Hanel shot at the three officers, more from the department were called. When they arrived, Honolulu Fire Chief Manuel Neves said that "thick black smoke" was pouring out from the house, engulfing several homes, and "totally destroying" at least seven houses. Several other residencies were affected as well.

Now that the flames have been put out completely, it will take several days to pick apart and investigate the scene. Sadly, that involves removing the remains of those inside the home, which include three people who are unaccounted for. Ballard believes those inside will include the suspect and two adult females.

While Hanel was not found following the fire, investigators do believe he was inside the home when it was set on fire. In the meantime, police will continue to search for him just in case. The Honolulu Police have opened up an investigation in two counts of first degree murder, one count of second degree assault and multiple accounts of first degree attempted murder against Hanel.

As for the woman who had been stabbed, witness Ian Felix is the one who found her bleeding near the house. Felix was walking with his mom at the time, but tells the CNN affiliate Hawaii News Now, that "she was screaming" as he noticed she was bleeding from her leg. That's when he noticed that two female officers arrived on scene. After he heard gunshots, he and another person carried the woman across the street into a garage until medical professionals could arrive. He didn't fail to notice that one of the police officers was fatally shot and said, "I'm really sorry it happened."

Both Honolulu Mayor, Kirk Caldwell, and Hawaii Gov. David Ige responded to the devastating news via Twitter.

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