A fatal officer-involved shooting from October has now been officially classified as suicide by cop at an HPD press conference on Friday. Authorities say the suspect, armed and under the influence, confronted officers near The Queen’s Medical Center, leading to the deadly encounter.
HONOLULU (Island News) — A fatal officer-involved shooting in October was classified as suicide by cop at a Honolulu Police Department (HPD) press conference on Friday.
Honolulu Prosecutor Steve Alm confirmed on May 15, 2026 that the shooting on Oct. 2, 2025 where one was was killed was suicide by cop.
This was the scene more than seven months ago.
HPD was called to Punchbowl Street fronting The Queen’s Medical Center that morning after a federal parole officer called 911 about a suspect with a gun. Sonny Siofele brought out his firearm, had been using drugs and was suicidal.
Officers responded which is when the investigation revealed that Siofele pulled a gun on the officer, who then shot him.
“They’ve got to protect themselves at all times too… and right then there were another passerby, but that could happen,” Alm explained. “Cars would come, it was 10 o’clock in the morning, would come along, so they’ve got to control the scene, and i think they did it exactly right.”
Siofele had a lengthy criminal record that included meth distribution, robbery and assault.
