Prosecutor details moments leading up to deadly 2025 Makaha shooting

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Two police officers who killed a fugitive in Makaha last year have been cleared of wrongdoing.

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On June 24, 2025, Iosua Stevens, 38, was fatally shot by HPD officers.

On Tuesday, the prosecutor’s office said those officers were justified in their actions.

“Mr. Stevens brought his death on himself. It’s always unfortunate, but the officers did exactly the right thing and they did what they were sworn to do,” Honolulu Prosecutor Steve Alm said.

The deadly shooting happened on Hana Street in Makaha. The investigation revealed that Stevens was initially wanted on several outstanding warrants totaling just over $111,000. Some offenses he faced included first-degree terroristic threatening, drug promotion, and driving without a license.

Weeks prior, on June 6, officers attempted to arrest Stevens, but he was able to get away.

“Mr. Stevens was a wanted felon,” Alm said. “They tried to arrest him before. He allegedly assaulted the officer who tried to arrest him. There were multiple warrants.”

Officers eventually learned he was driving a Ford F-250 that was reported stolen. They tracked him down to Hana Street where Stevens allegedly rammed the truck into a Nissan Altima patrol vehicle, and a fire ignited.

With officers endangered, two of them fired their Glock 17 pistols.

“He opened the door and Stevens fell out of the truck onto his arms. He lowered him to the ground and saw several gunshot wounds,” Alm said.

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Stevens was shot in the head, left shoulder, and back. He was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead two days later.

Shortly after the shooting, Hawaii News Now spoke to Iosua’s loved ones, who detailed his passion for island culture, the ocean, and mālama ʻāina.

But they also acknowledged the challenges he faced including addiction.

“They need to find the strength in themselves to know that they have the power to be the change and make the change,” longtime companion and Hanai Kaiaulu co-founder Michelle Pieper said.

The prosecutor also said a glass pipe and machete were recovered from the F-250 Stevens was driving. Despite that, drugs were not detected in his system at the time of his death, according to the toxicology report.

“When he was boxed in and they stopped the car and put on the flashing strobe and the siren to make sure he understood they were police officers, he could have surrendered at that time. He chose not to do that,” Alm said.

The officers involved are both in their 30s, and have each been with the department for 6 years and 7 months, and just over 8 years respectively.

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They will not be facing charges.