Search is on for Honolulu man who stabbed his landlord and shot and killed two cops

Hawaii along with the rest of the U.S. is in mourning following the violent shooting deaths of two Honolulu Police Department Officers on the morning of January 19.  The two officers were identified as Tiffany Enriquez, a seven-year veteran of the force, and Kaulike Kalama, a nine-year veteran. ABC News shared a statement from the HPD which said that both officers were wearing bulletproof vests; but their fatal gunshot wounds struck the officers above the tops of those vests.

Our entire state mourns the loss of two Honolulu Police officers killed in the line of duty this morning. As we express our condolences to their families, friends and colleagues, let us also come together to help and support those who have been forever changed by this tragedy. pic.twitter.com/qgEKTb3VXf

— Governor David Ige (@GovHawaii) January 19, 2020

Police are still searching for the murder suspect who has been identified as 69-year-old Honolulu resident Jerry Hanel.  Reportedly, Hanel stabbed his landlord with a gardening tool and then opened fire on responding police officers around 9:30 a.m. on Sunday near the Honolulu tourist destination of Diamond Head. 

A Hawaii man [Hanel] with a history of mental health issues has shot two police officers dead, stabbed another, along with having started a fire that destroyed at least four homes after his landlord tried evicting him, Sunday morning.  ~ Hawaii News Now

CNN has updated the number of homes destroyed in the blaze to a total of seven.  Several other homes sustained fire and smoke damage, according to Honolulu Fire Chief Manuel Neves.

Area around park now completely blocked off, flames coming out of home on Hibiscus Drive – reports suspect set home on fire. Active @honolulupolice scene, reports of officers injured – avoid the area. Updates on @KITV4 #Breaking pic.twitter.com/0Qh4m4rVxA

— Tom George (@TheTomGeorge) January 19, 2020

Yesterday’s tragic shootings fell on the heels of a another recent tragic shooting when a  22-year-old active-duty sailor shot and killed two civilians, and then proceeded to  shoot and kill himself at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard near Honolulu.

See: Navy sailor shoots three at Pearl Harbor before taking his own life

MSN reported that the Honolulu Police Department has opened an investigation into two counts of first-degree murder, one count of second degree assault and multiple accounts of first degree attempted murder against the fugitive shooting suspect, Jerry Hanel. For more on the Honolulu shootings that claimed the lives of Tiffany Enriquez and Kaulike Kalama, see the video accompanying this article.

Written by: Richard Webster, Ace News Today   /   Follow Richard on Facebook and Twitter