The 19-year-old man charged in Friday’s shooting death of an 18-year-old man during an alleged botched robbery attempt at Tantalus made his initial court appearance Tuesday at Honolulu District Court.
Nainoa M.K. Damon appeared before Judge Summer Kupau-Odo via videoconference from the courthouse cellblock on a charge of second-degree murder in the death of Ha’aheo Kolona. Damon also is charged with first-degree robbery, first-degree terroristic threatening, two counts of carrying a firearm in commission of a separate felony and another firearm count.
Kupau-Odo set his preliminary hearing for March 30. Meanwhile, Damon is in custody at the Oahu Community Correctional Center in lieu of $1 million bail.
The deadly shooting occurred at a scenic lookout on Round Top Drive at about 1:50 a.m. Friday. Police in court documents filed Tuesday at Honolulu District Court said a suspect clad in a black ski mask approached a group of people at the lookout, wielded a handgun and told everyone, “Don’t move,” and to empty their pockets.
The suspect, identified by police as Damon, then approached an 18-year-old man, pointed a gun at the back of his head and attempted to remove a gold chain from around the victim’s neck, police said.
The victim’s friend, identified as Kolona, allegedly pulled out a handgun and pointed it at Damon, who then fired one shot at Kolona’s abdomen and fled with another man, police said.
Kolona was taken in a private vehicle to the Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children, where he was pronounced dead.
A Honolulu medical examiner determined the cause of death was a gunshot; the manner of death was classified as a homicide.
Although the suspect wore a ski mask at the time, court documents indicated the group of people know Damon and recognized him from his stature, eyes, voice and a tattoo on his right hand.
On Saturday afternoon Damon arrived with an attorney and turned himself in at the Wahiawa Police Station, where he was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder.