MAUI, Hawaii (KHON2) — A 20-year-old woman was shot and killed in an altercation with police when she charged at Maui Police officers while holding a knife on the afternoon on Feb. 1.
Around 3:46 p.m. MPD received a phone call regarding an abuse scenario in Pukalani. Officers arrived to the location within 10 minutes of the call, where they found a 20-year-old woman who had barricaded herself in a room with a knife.
Officers attempted to coax her out of the room, but she refused to comply and blasted loud music, according to police.
At 3:59 p.m., two officers entered the house, when the woman then emerged from the room holding a knife. One officer drew his firearm, while another drew his stun gun.
Despite calls to put the weapon down and attempts to create distance between officers and the woman, the woman refused to comply and continued to move toward an officer.
The officer then fired two shots at the woman, and they called for medics and began administering life-saving procedures. The woman succumbed to her injuries.
Had the woman survived the shot, her actions would have led to an attempted murder charge, according to police.
The officer involved in the shooting has been placed on administrative leave, per standard procedure.
“The sanctity of human life is a core value of the Maui Police Department and is embedded in our policies and our training,” said MPD Chief John Pelletier. “We recognize that a family is grieving the loss of a loved one. There are no winners in critical incidents.”
The incident is under investigation.
“Police officers are called to make split second decisions in rapidly dynamic, evolving situations, and when faced with an imminent threat, they must react to protect themselves and others in the community,” Pelletier said. “Public safety and protecting the community is our highest priority. This unfortunately is a stark reminder of the risks of our profession.”