Prosecutor: Honolulu Police Killing of Black Man Justified

Honolulu police officers’ use of deadly force was justified and no charges will be filed against them in a shooting that killed a Black man because an investigation found that he entered a home uninvited and physically attacked the officers, the city’s prosecuting attorney said Wednesday.

The April 14 shooting death of Lindani Myeni, 29, has drawn international attention {snip}

Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm said his office’s investigation refutes those who said the shooting shows that despite Hawaii’s multicultural diversity, police are racist.

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Two days before the shooting, Myeni told his kickboxing instructor that he was going through “crazy African spiritual stuff,” Alm said.

Myeni was a South Africa national who had recently moved to Honolulu.

About 30 minutes before the shooting, Myeni interjected himself in a situation where police were investigating a vehicle break-in and had to be told to go away by both the victim and officers {snip}

Myeni then asked one of the officers for money to buy food and tried to get into the back of a police car {snip}

From there, he drove a short distance to a home where tourists who didn’t know him were staying. Wearing a feathered headband, he followed them into the house, told the woman “I have videos of you,” claimed a cat there was his and made comments about hunting.

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The frightened woman called 911.

Alm played officer body camera videos that showed Myeni punching responding officers, leaving one with facial fractures and a concussion. Myeni continued punching an officer even after he was shot once in the chest {snip}

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A lawsuit by Myeni’s widow said police were motivated by racial discrimination and that he likely mistook the house for a nearby Hare Krishna temple that is open to the public.

Alm said his investigation found no evidence for those claims.

Police tried other methods, including deploying a stun gun that wasn’t effective on Myeni {snip}

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