Hawai‘i Island police arrested and charged 43-year-old Christopher Haskins of Kailua-Kona with first-degree assault following a stabbing incident near the entrance to the public showers at ‘Anaeho‘omalu Bay in Waikoloa, that occurred just after midnight on Wednesday, September 27, 2023.
Responding to the stabbing reported just before 12:30 a.m. on Wednesday, South Kohala patrol officers contacted a 36-year-old male victim who reported that he had been drinking with Haskins at ‘Anaeho‘omalu Bay when he left his black backpack by the entrance to the public showers and headed closer to the shoreline. When the victim went back to check on his backpack, he discovered that food and clothing, valued at $200, had been removed without his permission.
The victim reported that he confronted Haskins about the stolen items, at which point Haskins threw the victim against a wall and brandished a hunting knife with an 8-inch blade. The victim further reported that Haskins stabbed him in the abdomen, causing a puncture wound, then fled the area on foot. Officers later located Haskins hiding in the bushes one-third mile away from the scene and placed him under arrest for second-degree attempted murder.
The victim was transported to Queen’s North Hawai‘i Community Hospital where he was treated for a one-inch laceration near the right side of his abdomen. He remains hospitalized in stable condition.
After conferring with the County Prosecutor’s Office, Haskins was charged on Thursday morning, September 28, with first-degree assault and his bail was set at $5,000.
Haskins remains in police custody pending his initial hearing scheduled for Friday, September 29, in Kona District Court.
Police encourage anyone with information about this incident to contact Detective Cacique Melendez, at (808) 326-4646 ext. 281, via email at Cacique. melendez@hawaiicounty.gov, or the police department’s non-emergency number at (808) 935-3311.
Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call the Crime Stoppers number at (808) 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. Crime Stoppers is a volunteer program run by ordinary citizens who want to keep their community safe. Crime Stoppers doesn’t record calls or subscribe to caller ID. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.