Ocean View, Hawaiʻi – Hawaiʻi Island police are investigating a shooting incident that occurred during a reported home burglary in the Hawaiian Ocean View Estates subdivision on Monday, June 30, 2025. The incident left a 42-year-old Captain Cook woman in critical condition with severe head injuries consistent with a gunshot wound.
At approximately 4:00 p.m. on June 30, Kaʻū patrol officers responded to a residence in the 92-2500 block of Hukilau Drive after the homeowner reported confronting two individuals on his property. Upon arrival, officers found an unresponsive woman lying on the ground in front of the residence. Hawaiʻi Fire Department personnel provided immediate lifesaving measures and transported her to Kona Community Hospital, where she remains in critical condition.
The homeowner, identified as 68-year-old Gordon McCormick of Ocean View, told police that the injured woman had attempted to break into his residence while he was home. He stated she arrived in a red Ford pickup truck operated by an unidentified man.
Due to the severity of the woman’s injuries, officers initially arrested McCormick for second-degree attempted murder. Police later determined that McCormick also had an outstanding warrant related to a 2023 criminal property damage case. However, on Tuesday, July 1, after conferring with the Hawaiʻi County Prosecutor’s Office, McCormick was released pending further investigation. He was also released on his own recognizance regarding the outstanding warrant.
Detectives from the Area II Criminal Investigation Section have taken over the investigation. Their preliminary findings suggest that the injured woman may have been involved in multiple thefts reported on McCormick’s property on Saturday, June 28, and Sunday, June 29. Surveillance video from June 29 at 2:00 p.m. shows a woman arriving on the property in a distinctive red and brown two-door Ford pickup truck, possibly from the late 1990s or early 2000s, equipped with a full lumber rack and unidentified decals on the driver-side cab window. No video footage is available for the earlier reported incidents.
During the investigation, McCormick granted officers permission to search his home. Police recovered a loaded air rifle containing a single pellet. An air rifle uses compressed air to propel a pellet, which is a small, non-spherical projectile, typically made of lead or other soft materials. While distinct from firearms, some high-powered air rifles can cause serious injury depending on the caliber and impact point.
Police are now actively seeking the public’s help in identifying the red pickup truck seen at the scene and the male driver, who is described only as a Caucasian man in his early to mid-40s.
Anyone with information about the incident, the suspects, or the vehicle is asked to contact Detective Donovan Kohara at (808) 960-3118, via email at donovankohara@hawaiicounty.gov, or by calling the police department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311.
Those who wish to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300. Tipsters may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. Crime Stoppers does not record calls or subscribe to caller ID.