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Ronald Barawis, One of Hawaii's 'Most Wanted' Fugitives, Killed in Police Shooting

Ronald Barawis, identified as one of Hawaii's "most wanted" fugitives, was shot and killed by police early Friday.
Ronald Barawis
Ronald BarawisHawaii Police Department

A man who police had identified as one of Hawaii's "most wanted" fugitives was shot and killed by officers early Friday, according to Hawaii Island police.

Police spotted Ronald Barawis in a vehicle outside a fast food restaurant in Hilo, Hawaii, just after midnight on Friday. When officers ordered the 38-year-old out of the car, "he instead drove over barriers within the drive-thru and accelerated his vehicle," driving directly at an officer and ramming police cars, according to a statement from police.

Ronald Barawis.
Ronald Barawis.Courtesy Hawaii Police Department

Police opened fire hitting Barawis and a 28-year-old woman who was in the passenger seat of his car. The pair "sustained several gunshot wounds during the incident," police said in the statement.

Barawis was killed and the woman, who police are not identifying, was transported to a medical center on Oahu, where she is in critical but stable condition.

Officers reported that there was a shotgun, assault type rifle, and two semi-automatic handguns inside the vehicle that were within Barawis' reach, as well as a "bulletproof type vest" on the backrest of the drivers seat, the statement said.

Barawis was profiled in an episode of local public access show "Hawaii Island’s Most Wanted" that was scheduled to air Friday, the day he was killed in the shooting. In a previous announcement about the show, he was listed as "considered armed and dangerous."

He was being sought for violating parole, as well as a Jan. 20 incident where he reportedly tried to run down a police officer with his car. He was also wanted for questioning for involvement in an attempted murder that occurred on Dec. 29.

The three officers involved in the shooting have 20, 15, and 6 years of experience with the Hawaii Police Department, officials said. The officers, who have not been identified, have all been placed on administrative leave. The police department will conduct an investigation of the incident.