Maui Police Chief John Pelletier speaks during a Thursday press conference in which the police department released more information about the fatal shooting of Officer Suzanne O, who died while responding to a call Aug. 15 at the old Paia Sugar Mill. The Maui News/Eli Pace

Editor’s note: This report contains a description of body camera footage released by Maui police from a shooting incident in which Maui Police Officer Suzanne O was killed. Reader discretion is advised.

The body camera worn by Maui Police Officer Mousa Kawas captured Officer Suzanne O being fatally wounded while searching a rugged, grassy field for a man who had reportedly fired multiple rounds at the caretaker of the old Paia Sugar Mill on Aug. 15.

In the video released by Maui police Thursday, Kawas, O and other police officers are seen searching the dark, grassy field at the old Paia Sugar Mill. The area is marked by tall, uncut grass, uneven terrain, old rusty water tanks, twisted fencing, concrete pillars and other obstacles.

Officer O was searching the field to the south of one of the water tanks with Kawas and other officers scanning the area with their flashlights. Just as Kawas appears to say, “If you can’t see anything, hold back,” a gunshot interrupts him.

In the video, Officer O screams out in pain as she falls to the ground. Another officer quickly grabs O and pulls her back away from the direction of the gunfire. At the same time, Kawas can be heard yelling, “Get her back, get her back,” as he keeps his rifle fixed in the direction where the shot came.

The video gets a little shaky as Kawas runs toward the suspect and police return fire. While Kawas kept his rifle pointed at the man, another officer can be seen putting him in handcuffs.

“Get down,” Kawas yells at the man. “Get down. Police. Get down. Get down. Let me see your f—-ing hands. F– you. Get down. Let me see your hands. Don’t f—-ing move. Don’t f—-ing move.”

According to information previously released by MPD, officers shot the suspect once in the lower body after he shot Officer O.

The suspect, now identified as Clembert Alli Kaneholani, 38, was given medical treatment and is being held without bond. On Friday, a judge ruled there is sufficient evidence for him to stand trial for first-degree murder, first-degree attempted murder and a handful of weapons charges.

“Officer O died trying to make this community safer,” Pelletier said after the body camera footage was shown. “You saw a downed officer rescued by members of her team. You saw an officer act and use the force necessary to stop and incapacitate the threat. You witnessed an absolute incredible show of restraint by placing that suspect in custody so they can stand trial.”

The 911 call

Before MPD showed the body camera footage, Assistant Chief of the Uniform Services Division Keola Tom detailed the 911 call that led officers to the old Paia Sugar Mill on Aug. 15.

He said Wailuku patrol officers in the Upcountry area were assigned to an emergency response at approximately 8:18 p.m. after the caretaker of the old sugar mill on Baldwin Avenue reported a man who was trespassing had fired multiple rounds toward him.

Tom said the caretaker didn’t know the man prior to the incident. The caretaker told police that after shining a flashlight toward the man, he just started shooting.

Tom said the responding officers initially met with the caretaker’s girlfriend who was on the phone with the caretaker. Tom added that six officers arrived at the old sugar mill, took a statement from the caretaker and began searching the area.

Later in the press conference, Det. Jeffrey Calibuso of the MPD Criminal Investigation Division said that when police spoke with the caretaker, he told them the suspect was in possession of two handguns and had shot at him five or six times. The caretaker told police he last saw the man near a black tank where there’s a gulch on the property.

MPD also provided an aerial photograph of the scene showing the water tank and the area where Officer O was wounded.

This aerial image shows the field at the old Paia Sugar Mill where Officer Suzanne O was shot. Courtesy photo MPD

Calibuso also showed a picture of a concrete pillar about 4.5 to 5 feet tall and two feet wide as he said the suspect was hiding behind the pillar when he fired at police.

Calibuso added that the grass around the pillar was higher on Aug. 15 because police had tamped it down when they combed the area looking for evidence.

According to Maui police, the man who fatally wounded Office Suzanne O was crouched down beside this concrete pillar at the old Paia Sugar Mill when he fired at police. Courtesy photo MPD

Follow-up questions

Taking questions from the media, police said they believe Kaneholani was trespassing on the property because he was hunting illegally.

Capt. Nelson Hamilton of Criminal Investigation Division said the gun Kaneholani used to kill Officer O was a Polymer 80 glock 9mm “ghost gun,” which can be bought online. Police said the gun had an extended magazine that holds many rounds.

Hamilton confirmed that two guns were recovered and taken into evidence, but he declined to provide details about the second gun while saying the investigation is ongoing.

Calibuso said Officer O was wearing a protective vest when she was shot, but the bullet entered her body from the left side of her chest about an inch above the vest.

Officials with the Maui Police Department host a press conference Thursday at the Wailuku Police Station. The Maui News/Eli Pace

A clear position

One of the questions that came up Thursday asked MPD leadership if anything could have been done to prevent Officer O’s death.

“There’s no way I can sit here and tell you that there’s nothing that could have been done to prevent this, but here’s what I can tell you and I mentioned this the other day: If you’re an ex-felon, you should not have access to firearms,” Chief Pelletier said.

Pelletier said there needs to be mandatory prison time when people who have been convicted of a felony are caught in possession of a firearm, and people who have temporary restraining orders against them should not have access to guns.

“People should be in fear of the criminal justice process,” he said. “Probation or light sentences are absolutely ridiculous. That’s wrong. You look at all of the details that we know about the suspect that’s been released at this time, and that individual should not have a gun.”

Pelletier said the department “will absolutely be looking at everything we can to make sure there are mandated sentences in law and that they are extremely severe.”

These photos of Maui Police Officer Suzanne O, who was killed in the line of duty, were provided by the Maui Police Department. Photo courtesy MPD

‘Our finest officer’

“No words that I give you in this press conference are going to even come close to doing justice by really answering that question,” Pelletier said as he responded to another question about who Officer Suzanne O was as a person.

“When I said before she was the finest of us, that is not an understatement,” the chief continued. “There is not a finer human being to ever wear a police uniform. Period. Everybody that knew her loved her. It can’t be stressed enough.”

Pelletier talked about Officer O’s kindness and her willingness to help her fellow officers and her community.

“If she moved homeless people from a location or had to do something, she would go with her own money and buy them food and give it to them,” he said. “She served on the Honor Guard because she wanted to make sure she provided the reverence and respect for other fallen officers. She grabbed overtime calls when they were necessary on patrol. She jumped on and grabbed dispatch calls if those were necessary.”

Pelletier said O helped out wherever she could and he doesn’t know anyone who has ever said an unkind word about her.

“She was an absolute rising star in this department and this community, and she served with honor and distinction,” Pelletier said. “So, to say how incredible she was, absolutely no words on this day, no words I think will ever be able to truly convey the type of quality of a human being she was. To say she was our finest, she absolutely was our finest officer.”

A large group of people gather Friday night in front of the Wailuku Police Station during a candlelight vigil to honor Officer Suzanne O. The Maui News/Eli Pace

Community in mourning

Many people have contributed flowers and other items to a memorial honoring Officer O set up in front of the Wailuku Police Department. MPD also hosted a candlelight vigil for Officer O Friday night in front of the police station.

Additionally, Maui County Council Vice-Chair Yuki Lei Sugimura invited residents across the county to participate in a light tribute from Aug. 22 through Aug. 29 by turning on their porch lights from sunset to sunrise.

Whenever possible, residents are being encouraged to display blue porch or exterior lights in tribute to Officer O and all law enforcement officers. Traditional porch lights or any outdoor illumination are also welcome as part of this countywide show of aloha.

“Our peaceful island community has been deeply touched by this profound loss,” Sugimura said in a statement. “The outpouring of aloha has been incredible — neighbors from across Maui County have asked how they can show support. This Porch Light Tribute is a simple but powerful way to wrap our entire county in light and aloha.”

Maui County Council also held a moment of silence for Officer O during its meeting Tuesday.

The Maui Police Department is mourning the death of Officer Suzanne O, who was killed while responding to a call Aug. 15 at the Paia Sugar Mill. Photo courtesy MPD

A deep wound

Pelletier said the department’s top priorities at this time are justice for Officer O and the health and well-being of its employees.

He said that after the incident, the department immediately dispatched the on-call psychologists with whom the department has existing contracts. MPD has also expanded its chaplain program to include nine full-time chaplains following the August 2023 wildfires, and they are available to speak with MPD officers, as well as the department’s peer-support programs and other resources.

“We have to make sure we’re doing everything we can to make sure their wellness is first and foremost, but we know with the team that we’ve assembled that we’re going to get them the things they need,” Pelletier said.

He also said the department will release information about a fund that’s being set up to support Officer O’s family as soon as that information is available. He said the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers, or SHOPO, is also able to take donations for Officer O’s family.

“This is devastating,” Pelletier said of the effect Officer O’s death has has on the department. “This is very much a raw and real deep open wound, and that open wound is going to stay open for a long time. And maybe, maybe, if we’re lucky, maybe it will close, but it’s going to scar. It’s going to scar our hearts and across the face of this department. We’re doing everything we can to get through these different things because we owe it to her. And the leadership that’s here, we owe it to the men and women of this agency and community to do our jobs because we all raised our right hand and swore to do this job to the best of our ability. And that’s the same oath she swore, the same badge she wore, the same uniform she wore.”