Man fatally shot by Honolulu police during altercation that injured 3 officers is identified

UPDATE 4:15 p.m.

The 29-year-old man shot and killed by police in Nuuanu last night has been identified by family and police sources as Lindani Sanele Myeni.

His family described a charismatic, gentle, strong, healthy man whose deep love for his family was seconded by a passion for his homeland of South Africa and Zulu culture.

Myeni is survived by his wife and two children.

12:30 p.m.

A Honolulu police officer remains hospitalized with multiple facial fractures and two others were treated for a concussion and multiple injuries to their bodies, arms and face following a deadly confrontation with an alleged burglary suspect in Nuuanu Wednesday night.

Honolulu Police Chief Susan Ballard said today that the hospitalized officer, who has 23 years of service, was tackled and punched repeatedly in the face by a 29-year-old man who was shot and killed by police after multiple attempts to subdue him.

The suspect, described as an African American male with no prior criminal history, was identified by a 911 caller as the person who entered her Coelho Way home, Ballard said during a late-morning news conference at the department’s headquarters in downtown Honolulu.

“This had nothing to do with race; this had to do with behavior,” Ballard said.

The first two patrol officers arrived at 8:10 p.m. and the caller identified the male who was sitting in a vehicle as the person who had been in her home.

The man got out of his car and started to walk toward the second patrol officer on scene, according to Ballard. The first officer ordered the man to stop and get on the ground. The suspect then turned and charged at the first officer, punching him several times, she said.

The second officer tried to get the man off of the first officer while a third patrol officer arrived at the scene. That officer deployed his Taser and fired at the suspect but it did not stop him, Ballard said.

The man charged at the third officer and punched him before returning his attention to the first officer and charged again, the chief said.

The first officer fired a single round at the suspect but the man continued and tackled the officer to the ground, where he straddled him and began punching him repeatedly. The second patrol officer to arrive fired three rounds at the suspect who fell to the ground.

“This all happened in less than one minute,” said Ballard

Officers administered first aid at the scene and the man was taken to the hospital in critical condition where he later died.

Police recovered the suspect’s vehicle. The man is subject to identification by the county medical examiner, who will also produce a toxicology report.

All three officers were taken to a hospital for treatment.

The first officer remains in the hospital recovering from the facial fractures, a concussion, and injuries to his arms and legs.

The second officer, who has 18 years of service with the department, suffered multiple injuries to his body, arms and legs.

The third officer, who has been with the department for a decade, is dealing with a concussion and multiple abrasions to his body, arms and legs. The second and third officers were treated at the hospital and released.

7:50 a.m.

A 29-year-old man died after police officers discharged their duty firearms when the man physically attacked the officers who were responding to a burglary at a home in Nuuanu, police said.

Police responded to a call of a burglary in progress on Coelho Way at about 8:10 p.m. Wednesday.

When they arrived, the suspect confronted and “physically attacked the officers, causing potentially life-threatening injuries to them,” according to police.

Officers discharged their firearms to stop the threat, striking the suspect. He sustained gunshot wounds and was taken to a hospital where he later died.

One of the officers was also taken to a hospital in stable condition.

An investigation is ongoing.

Honolulu police said a news conference will be held this morning.

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An officer-involved shooting at a Nuuanu home during a burglary tonight left one man dead, the Honolulu Police Department said.

Emergency Medical Services said an adult male of unknown age was taken in critical condition to a hospital at 8:20 p.m. He was treated for apparent gunshot wounds.

Police confirmed that the man later died.

A man in his 40s, who was treated for a facial injury, was in stable condition, EMS said.

The two were taken from the same scene on Coelho Way.

HPD plans to hold a news conference Thursday morning to discuss the incident.

Police closed off Coelho Way and Wyllie Street due to the investigation, a city alert at 8:48 p.m. said.