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Homeowner Shoots, Kills Alleged Burglar

Shooter In Custody On Charges Of Homicide, Police Say

POSTED: 1:21 am HST March 25, 2007
UPDATED: 1:37 am HST March 25, 2007

A Waianae man was taken into police custody Saturday night after a shooting left one dead and two others fleeing the scene, police said.

Honolulu Police said the shootout happened when three men tried to rob the homeowner at gunpoint at his home at Mai-u'u Road in Waianae in an apparent attempt to collect money from the man's illegal cockfighting business, police said.

Police said the armed homeowner killed one of the alleged robbers.

KITV's Denby Fawcett reported that Keith Kuraoka, 55, was taken into custody at the Honolulu Police Station.

Police said witnesses told them three men with weapons drove up Saturday morning and tried to break down Kuraoka's door.

"They eventually got the front door opened, and that's when the gun shots were fired," said HPD Lt. Bill Kato.

Police said Kuroka had a rifle and a shotgun.

"Statements were given that shots were fired at him, so he said he fired back," said Kapolei-Waianae District Lt. Farrel Sojot.

When patrol units arrived, they found Jayson Sylva, 28, barely alive lying in front of Kuraoka's house, police said. Authorities said Sylva was taken to Waianae Medical Center where he died.

Criminal records show Sylva has 43 prior arrests, 12 of them felonies for everything from kidnapping to assault and had spent time in prison, KITV reported.

Police said they are still looking for the two other men who ran out of Kuraoka's house and drove away.

Neighbor Momi Peters heard the shots and was terrified.

"This kind of stuff you think you would only see in the movies. You never think it would happen in your neighborhood. It's kind of scary," Peters said.

"They started pounding on the door. The resident of the house came out, and he had a couple of weapons -- a rifle and a shot gun. Statements were given that shots were fired at him so he said he fired back," Lt. Eric Yu said.

Yu said the three men apparently wanted to rob Muraoka. Witnesses said Muraoka's girlfriend ran out of the house to safety.
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