City prosecutor says fatal police shooting of Lindani Myeni was justified, no charges to be filed

HNN: … Among the key details Alm highlighted:

• Myeni was acting strangely before the shooting, Alm said, but knew that officers were responding to the scene and was heard saying he “was not afraid” of police.
• One of the officers suffered serious injuries in the attack that continue to impact his daily life.
• Alm said Myeni was punching officers even after being told to get on the ground, shot with a Taser and shot once with a police firearm. He was subsequently shot three times….

Alm said Myeni showed up at the property on Coelho Way unannounced, following the tenants through the front door as they returned from shopping after tailgating them into the neighborhood. The tenants did not know him and did not know what he wanted, the prosecutor said.

“Witness no. 1 asked him to leave several times and he disregarded that,” Alm said, at the news conference. “He said, ‘Tell them I’m from South Africa. I’m on a hunt. I’m on a safari.’”…

Alm added that Myeni, who did have marijuana in his system, seemed to be acting “strange” and “bizarre.” The prosecutor noted Myeni also had an odd encounter with officers just 30 minutes before going to Nuuanu, when he approached police at Kewalo Basin as they took a statement from someone reporting a car theft. Alm said Myeni started questioning the victim himself….

Alm said the exchange, among other things, showed Myeni would have been able to recognize police officers in uniform ― an important point because his family’s attorneys have argued Myeni, who is from South Africa, might have thought he was trying to fight off attackers rather than police.

Alm also noted that when the Nuuanu tenants told Myeni that they were going to call 911, he responded by saying he wasn’t afraid of the police….

He said Officer 2 did have a brief interaction with Myeni before the shooting, asking him, “What’s going on?” Myeni responded,” I don’t know. You tell me.”…

read … City prosecutor says fatal police shooting of Lindani Myeni was justified, no charges to be filed

PDF: Prosecutor's Report

KHON: Honolulu Prosecutor: Fatal shooting of Lindani Myeni justified; no charges will be filed against HPD officers

SA: No charges will be filed following fatal HPD shooting of Lindani Myeni in Nuuanu

CB: Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm also said his office found no evidence that race was a factor in the case.