Court orders police to release records related to Boy Scout shooting

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Hawaii State Police are expected to release evidence and details of their investigation into the accidental shooting death of an 11-year-old boy.

A judge granted a request by the estate of Manuel Carvalho for an independent investigation.

Police and autopsy reports, body camera footage and witness statements are among the evidence that must be submitted by Oct. 26.

Attorney Chris LaGuire said the family “has a right to know what happened to their son.”

Carvalho was accidentally shot and killed when another boy picked up an AK-47 at a shooting range at a Boy Scout camp near Honokaa.

LaGuire told the court they were trying to investigate the events of that day, but could not continue without more information.

District attorneys protested.

“The parents of this child are also witnesses of this case. They were interviewed as witnesses,” said Deputy Corporation Counsel Sylvia Wang.

“If they review them and consider other evidence … it naturally undermines the potential testimony.”

But LaGuire told the court that the police investigation had already been completed and that the department had recommended 23 felony charges against the three people who were on the train that day. One of them owns an AK-47.

“The Carvalhos want justice to be pursued both criminally and civilly,” LaGuire told the court.

“We have tried to investigate this without the benefit of the most important facts that have been seen, heard and told.”

District Court Judge Henry Nakamoto ruled in favor of the estate, citing the family’s time limit to file a civil suit and other reasons.

As Hawaii News Now reported earlier this week, the Hawaii County District Attorney’s Office withdrew from the case because staff and family members were at the Boy Scouts event.

The state Attorney General’s office may hire or designate another agency to handle potential criminal charges.

This can delay the investigation and the statute of limitations for filing a civil case is two years.

Nakamoto allows corporate counsel to edit certain information, including social security numbers, addresses and phone numbers. However, the names of witnesses, including minors, should be mentioned.

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