According to an article about the recent shooting and killing of Delmar Espejo by a sheriff’s deputy, Espejo was 5 feet, 3 inches tall, 102 pounds, and disabled (“Man shot by deputy sheriff at Capitol was disabled, brother says,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 23).

Assuming the deputy was substantially larger, properly trained and equipped, it is difficult on its face to understand how he was not able to handle the situation without killing Espejo.

Public Safety Director Nolan Espinda justified the killing by saying that the deputy was involved in an “extreme struggle” with Espejo, who allegedly had the deputy in a headlock.

Espinda said the matter is under investigation.

For the sake of transparency and given the reported facts, the attorney general or other appropriate official should appoint an independent, neutral investigator to look into this matter and make a full public report of all the facts so we can understand what really happened. If wrongdoing was involved, appropriate action should be taken.

Arthur Park

Downtown Honolulu

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