A 25-year-old Maui man was arrested Tuesday morning for allegedly threatening to kill Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa.
A woman was walking her dogs near the Maui County Building on S. High Street at around 7:30 a.m. when she encountered a man with a knife.
She asked the man what he was going to do with the knife, and he allegedly told her that he was going to “murder the mayor.”
The woman immediately called 911.
Police say the man entered the Maui County Building and went to the 9th floor where Mayor Alan Arakawa’s office is located.
Police say the man spoke to the front desk receptionist and asked to see the mayor.
The receptionist said the mayor was not in yet and asked the man to sign in so she could make an appointment.
Police say the man left a first name and his phone number and then left without making any additional threats.
Maui police were able to identify the male and arrested him at a Wailuku home.
Preliminary investigation revealed that man may have been suffering from possible mental health issues.
He was transported to the Maui Memorial Medical Center for evaluation.
In response to the situation, Mayor Arakawa said he does not plan to change his open door policy, and said the 9th floor doors will remain unlocked as they have been since the start of his administration last year.
“I feel this is an isolated incident,” Arakawa said. “I am thankful to police for their quick response and to this witness who reported the incident so promptly. But these doors will remain open. People need to feel free to come in, make an appointment and talk to their government officials.”
See the original article at: KHON2 Local News
