Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Wednesday, November 13, 2024 82° Today's Paper


Top News

Makaha man shot near airport was awaiting sentencing for sex assault

COURTESY HAWAII CRIMINAL JUSTICE DATA CENTER

Carlos Lopes-Salas Jr.

A 24-year-old Makaha man shot by a police officer near the airport last week was awaiting sentencing in felony sexual assault and robbery cases and has been charged in the latest incident.

Carlos Lopes-Salas Jr. has 18 prior arrests and was awaiting sentencing on April 8 for felony sexual assault and a robbery, police said. He pleaded guilty to both cases in January.

According to court documents, Lopes-Salas sexually assaulted a 41-year-old woman when he was 20 years old in 2011 and robbed his ex-girlfriend in May 2014.

In the robbery case, Lopes-Salas threatened to file papers to take custody of his 3-year-old son away from his ex-girlfriend if she refused to meet him at Ala Moana Center, according to court documents.

When the woman met him that afternoon, Lopes-Salas threatened her, then reached into her bag, stole $600 and walked away. The woman later told police Lopes-Salas forced her to withdraw $700 from a bank a month earlier.

Lopes-Salas was shot at around noon Wednesday at Pacific Marina Inn after police said he raised a stolen semi-automatic pistol while officers were trying to arrest him for investigation of a burglary.

Police said Lopes-Salas was wanted for a recent home burglary and that officers went to the hotel after getting a tip that he was there. Officers saw Lopes-Salas walking down the stairs, but he fled when officers approached. At some point, an officer fired his weapon when Lopes-Salas raised the gun, police said.

One officer fired two shots, hitting Lopes-Salas once, police said. Police did not say where he was injured.

Lopes-Salas was taken to the hospital and was in serious condition Wednesday, police said.

He was charged Friday with first-degree terroristic threatening and three firearm offenses. His bail was set at $250,000.

Police had originally arrested Lopes-Salas on Wednesday for investigation of first-degree attempted murder, but the case was later reclassified to terroristic threatening.

We apologize for the inconvenience; our commenting system is currently undergoing some technical issues. Our team is working to resolve the problem, and hope for it to be back up soon. Thank you for your patience and understanding.