Alm: No charges for HPD officers in fatal shooting outside Queen’s Medical Center

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – No charges will be filed against two Honolulu police officers involved in a fatal shooting outside the Queen’s Medical Center emergency department last October, Honolulu’s prosecuting attorney said Friday.

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Sonny Siofele, 50, was shot and killed on Oct. 2, 2025, on the sidewalk on Punchbowl Street.

Alm said his office’s independent investigation concluded that the deadly force that resulted in Siofele’s death was justified, and that the decision was based on Hawaii law governing the use of deadly force in self-protection and protection of others.

Alm said a federal probation officer called Siofele after he missed a scheduled drug test, and that Siofele told her he was having a hard time and felt suicidal.

She was trying to get Siofele to go to Queen’s Medical Center for help when he told her he had a gun and that it was his day to die, Alm said.

Alm said the probation officer contacted Queen’s Medical Center security and then called 911, which resulted in the response of three plainclothes officers from HPD District 1’s Crime Reduction Unit.

They wore HPD badges and identification on lanyards, and ballistic vests with the word “police” across the front, he said.

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Alm said when officers approached, Siofele reached into his front pocket, appeared to settle into a shooting stance, drew a dark-colored revolver and raised it toward the officers.

“Seeing Siofele pointing his gun at them, both Officer 1 and Officer 2 opened fire,” Alm said. “Officer 1 shot two to three rounds, while Officer 2 fired three to four rounds. They both were aiming at Siofele’s center mass.”

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Alm said when Siofele raised his gun, the officers “were both justified in using deadly force for their own protection, and they reasonably believed it was necessary to protect the other officer.”

Alm said Siofele fell to the ground, and officers secured the firearm and began life-saving efforts until Queen’s Medical Center personnel arrived to assist.

Siofele was pronounced dead at 10:43 a.m. Alm said an autopsy found gunshot wounds to the chest and upper left back, and that a toxicology screen showed the presence of methamphetamine.

Siofele was on federal post-incarceration supervised release at the time of the incident. He had 14 prior arrests and four criminal convictions.

When asked if the outcome of this officer involved shooting could have been handled differently via non-lethal means, Alms said no.

“I don’t think they could have done anything differently at the time,” Alm responded, “and if there had been another social worker there, I don’t think that person would have wanted to or the police would have had them get involved in the situation because they might get shot.

“Mr. Siofele was responsible for his own death. Unfortunately, this looks like, once again, another case of suicide by cop,” Alm said.

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