A 48-year-old man whose first-degree attempted murder trial was set to start March 27 entered into a plea deal with city prosecutors Friday rather than run the risk of a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
Christopher Broome admitted in a written statement that he, Chad Duran and James Lee went to Kingsley Toloke’s Waianae home March 15, 2022, to return a stolen firearm in hopes of receiving a reward.
“Unfortunately, the situation turned violent and I along with Duran and Lee, responded with violence against Toloke and Don Pasion. My actions were reckless and almost caused the death of Pasion and Toloke,” his statement read.
Duran, 32, was killed in the shootout over the stolen firearm. Duran had been convicted of manslaughter in 2013 in the death of his friend Christopher K. Medeiros, 26, who tried to intervene in a struggle for a gun between Duran and another person.
The shooting in Broome’s case occurred at a house along a ridge off Pokaikuahiwi Place. Police encountered a black Toyota 4Runner at the intersection of Leihoku Street and Pokaikuahiwi Place, where they saw Broome exit the SUV and fall to the ground with a gunshot wound to his lower leg and a cut to his forehead.
When officers arrived at the house, they found Duran lying on the ground with gunshot wounds to his head and torso. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Pasion also was on the ground, bleeding from his neck, and Toloke had a minor injury from a bullet that grazed the right side of his head.
A grand jury indicted Broome on charges of first-degree attempted murder, two counts of second-degree attempted murder and three firearm charges. He agreed to plead guilty to two counts of attempted manslaughter and place to keep pistol or revolver.
Broome could have faced a 20-year prison term for the attempted manslaughter convictions and 10 years for the firearm conviction. Instead, Broome agreed to the state’s offer of 10 years of probation for the attempted manslaughter convictions and four years for the firearm charge.
He was released Friday on his own recognizance after serving a year in jail. The plea agreement is contingent upon the court binding itself to the terms of the offer when he is sentenced June 28.
Correction: A previous version of this story did not set out the terms of sentencing in the plea agreement and that Broome was released.
