Why EMS crew members wore body armor during Don Quijote standoff
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - After Wednesday’s five-hour barricade situation, holiday shopping at the Honolulu Don Quijote appeared back to normal Thursday.
Hundreds of shoppers evacuated the superstore on Kaheka Street during the standoff. Around 10 p.m, police arrested the 34-year-old suspect, Karon Hayes, for criminal property damage. HNN’s news crew heard him shouting “call my lawyer.”
Five hours earlier, police got a report that a man was throwing liquor bottles and damaging property inside the store. HPD says officers saw Hayes in a small storage room where he tried to set a small box on fire.
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Officers with the Specialized Services Division and Crisis Negotiation Team responded.
During the night, the crowd heard a flash-bang go off inside and later police deployed pepper balls. Those outside, including HNN’s news crew, started coughing and had stinging eyes from the wafting chemical irritants.
Two members of Emergency Medical Services wore bulletproof vests and helmets.
Emergency Medical Services District Chief Jared Tanouye says the protective equipment allows medical attention to be brought in faster during increasingly dangerous situations.
“That barricade situation could have gone very bad,” said Tanouye.
EMS got the equipment about three years ago.
“The reason all of our guys are being issued this is because violent crime is up, and the days where EMS stays in the cold zone or otherwise known as the safe zone are over,” said Tanouye.
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Tanouye wasn’t at the barricade, but says in general, medical crews get more calls for mental health during the holidays.
“Unfortunately, sometimes they are like a shaking soda can. All it takes is one more shake until it pops,” said Tanouye.
The Honolulu Fire Department also has similar equipment.
Police estimate the damage to the Don Quijote store and property was more than $7,000.
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