MEDIA RELEASE

Big Island police have initiated a terroristic threatening case in connection with reports of a woman with a gun Wednesday afternoon (February 22) in Puna.

Around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Puna patrol officers responded to a report of a woman pointing a rifle at passersby near the end of Highway 130 in Kalapana. Officers located and arrested 34-year-old Welo Kuuipo Dela Cruz of Kalapana without incident and recovered the weapon, which was determined to be an air rifle.

Dela Cruz was taken to the Hilo police cellblock while detectives from the Area I Criminal Investigations Section continued the investigation. After conferring with prosecutors, detectives released Dela Cruz later that night pending further investigation.

Police ask that anyone with information about this incident or any similar incidents in the area call Detective Ernest Matsumoto at 961-2379, email him at ematsumoto@co.hawaii.hi.us, or call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at 935-3311.

Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona 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.