One of the two men arrested on suspicion of first-degree attempted murder in connection with an alleged drive-by shooting at Kapa‘a’s McDonald’s restaurant Friday evening has been identified as Taekyu U, 26, of Kapa‘a, County Prosecutor Craig De Costa said
One of the two men arrested on suspicion of first-degree attempted murder in connection with an alleged drive-by shooting at Kapa‘a’s McDonald’s restaurant Friday evening has been identified as Taekyu U, 26, of Kapa‘a, County Prosecutor Craig De Costa said yesterday.
The primary charge denotes an attempt to kill more than one person. De Costa said that there were four potential victims.
Furthermore, U is also being charged with carrying or use of a firearm in commission of a felony, unlawful place to keep ammunition, unlawful place to keep a pistol, and prohibited deadly weapon.
The gun allegedly used in the attack was a Lorcin .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol, and the prohibited deadly weapon reportedly in his possession was a set of metal knuckles.
U was arraigned in District Court yesterday and is being held at Kaua‘i Community Correctional Center in lieu of $250,000 bail, according to county spokesperson Mary Daubert. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for tomorrow.
The other suspect, an unidentified minor, is being held without bail at a juvenile detention center on O‘ahu.
He appeared via telephone in a family court hearing yesterday, according to deputy prosecuting attorney Mauna Kea Trask.
Around 11 p.m. Friday, a silver sedan traveling southbound on Kuhio Highway fired two shots at the McDonald’s, Kaua‘i Police Department Lt. Jon Takamura said.
The suspects were arrested in the vicinity of Lydgate Park shortly after the shooting occurred when police discovered the pair in a parked car.
The restaurant was in the process of closing and employees were allowing the last patrons to leave. Nobody was injured, but “damages were sustained to the building,” according to Takamura.
Authorities found and marked two head-high bullet holes in the building’s concrete base on both sides of the restaurant’s main entrance upon further investigation Sunday.
One of the witnesses, who would not be identified because of the pending investigation, said Sunday that he felt one of the bullets fly by his head before it struck the restaurant.
The incident remains under investigation.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Patrick Balbarino at 241-1684, Police Dispatch at 241-1711 or Crime Stoppers at 241-1887.