Maui police released these images Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2024, showing the knife that a 20-year-old woman was holding when she was shot by a police officer.

A brief clip from body camera footage of a police shooting Saturday in Pukalani shows the 20-year-old woman who was fatally wounded holding a knife as she approaches the officer.

On Tuesday, officials with the Maui Police Department identified the woman as 20-year-old Macayla Deponte of Ha’iku.

The body camera footage released by police Tuesday does not show any rounds being fired during the incident, but it appears to show the moments leading up to the officer firing his weapon with Deponte clearly agitated and in distress as she raises and pulls her arm back while holding the knife in close proximity to the officer.

At the Maui Police Department in Wailuku, department officials released the video footage to the media along with a photograph of the knife and additional details about the Saturday shooting.

According to MPD Capt. Nelson Hamilton of the Criminal Investigation Division, dispatch received a report of “an abuse-type case” at 3:46 p.m. and officers arrived at the home on Noho Place in Pukalani at 3:54 p.m. Upon their arrival, police were told Deponte had barricaded herself inside a bedroom at the residence.

Nelson continued by saying that upon entering the home, officers repeatedly identified themselves and tried to engage Deponte by asking if she was OK. Nelson said she refused to come out of the room and instead played loud music while yelling incoherently.

Nelson said that at 3:59 p.m., one of the responding officers was checking an attached garage for which the only entrance in and out was a door to the kitchen. As the officer exited the garage and came into the kitchen, Deponte suddenly came out of the bedroom armed with a knife, according to Nelson.

He said the officer drew his firearm as Deponte advanced toward him, and another officer inside the home drew his taser. Both officers gave Deponte verbal commands to show her hands and drop the knife.

“Within a span of 10 seconds, the officer attempted to create distance while continuing verbal commands,” Nelson said. “When (Deponte) raised the knife and moved toward the officer, he discharged his firearm twice.”

Nelson did not say how many times Deponte was shot, but he said the officers called for medical assistance at 4:01 p.m. and tried to perform life-saving measures on her until paramedics arrived.

During Tuesday’s press conference, police showed a photo of the knife Deponte was holding and still images from the body camera footage that appeared to show Deponte holding the knife raised in close proximity to one of the officers.

“Had the individual survived, she would have been charged with attempt murder in the first degree,” Maui Chief of Police John Pelletier said at the conclusion of the press conference. “The sanctity of human life is a core value of the Maui Police Department and is embedded in our policies and our training.”

Pelletier said the police department recognizes a family is grieving the loss of a loved one, and there are no winners in critical incidents.

“Everyone is impacted,” Pelletier said. “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. Public safety and protecting the community is our highest priority. This unfortunately is a stark reminder of the risks of this profession.”

Citing the ongoing investigation, department officials declined to take any questions during Tuesday’s press conference.