Man arrested in weekend kidnapping of two others
Police are still looking for three other suspects in connection with the kidnapping of two men in Kaneohe over the weekend.
One man, 29, was arrested Sunday night.
A 24-year-old man told police he was abducted by four unknown men armed with firearms and wearing ski masks somewhere on the Windward side Friday night, police said. The man was bound and blindfolded and taken to a home at an unknown part of the island where he was threatened with harm unless he agreed to lure another man to an undisclosed location on the Windward side, police said.
The first victim agreed, and on Saturday the second victim showed up at the home, where he, too, was abducted, police said.
On Sunday, both men were then in the process of being transported to another undisclosed location on the Windward side when an off-duty Honolulu police officer spotted a van parked in the middle of Likelike Highway with its rear doors wide open, police said.
The officer saw two men assaulting a third man in the back of the van, police said. When the officer attempted to intervene, the van took off with the two suspects and beating victim still inside.
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A second victim, however, fell out of the van and was taken to the Kaneohe Police Station, where he told police what happened.
Patrol officers then conducted checks of the surrounding area and were able to locate one of the suspects in the case. They also located the second victim.
The suspect arrested is being investigated for two counts of kidnapping. He was captured on Awanenenene Street, near the Hoomaluhia Botanical Gardens.
A police spokesperson said detectives do not believe the kidnapping occurred randomly, but provided no other details.