A 31-year-old man was shot to death on Beretania Street yesterday afternoon by one of three men who argued with him in a parking lot beneath a Punahou-area apartment building, police said.

The suspected getaway car was found burning last night in Mililani.

Witnesses told police that one of the suspects was wearing a mask or some sort of covering over part of his face when the three pulled into the parking lot of 1709 S. Beretania in a black Nissan Maxima. Another man carried something that looked like a baseball bat.

It was about 4 p.m., witnesses said, when one of the three men shot the victim in the neck.

Witnesses said the Nissan backed rapidly out of the lot, said Honolulu Police Lt. Bill Kato, who heads the department's homicide detail. It whipped onto Beretania Street, heading 'ewa.

Police on the ground and in a helicopter searched for the three men yesterday afternoon. The search continued into the evening while officers investigated the killing scene.

The rear, passenger-side door of the victim's dark blue Lexus remained open, as police had found it, while the officers worked.

Kato said killings committed so brazenly are rare in Honolulu.

"It's not very often we get something like this in broad daylight," Kato said.

Police did not release the name of the victim as they continued to investigate the shooting.

At about 9:40 p.m., police found a black Nissan Maxima they believe was involved in the homicide in Mililani on Keehuhiwa Street near Makohilani Street. It was on fire. Witnesses had reported seeing a man get out of the car and into a dark van.

Shortly after police discovered the car, radio dispatchers began repeating an all points bulletin, alerting officers to be on the lookout for a man about 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing 160 pounds, with a dark complexion and shaved head. He had been wearing a red bandanna and was thought to be armed.

Earlier yesterday afternoon in Punahou, Lopaka Becker and his fiance, Kyra Alvarado, had just flown in from New Mexico. They'd been on the ground for about two hours and were watching television with Becker's brother-in-law, Dallas Hidalgo, in Hidalgo's apartment on Young Street.

They didn't hear the argument over the sound of the television. They did hear a single, sharp report.

"Dallas looked out," Becker said, "And he said, 'I think that guy just got shot.' "

The man stumbled, holding his neck, and fell into a grassy area by the parking lot.

Becker, who is in the Air Force and had completed an emergency medical technician course, ran out of Hidalgo's apartment, his fiance on his heels and Hidalgo not far behind.

The airman jumped a fence, pulled off his shirt to use as a compress on the man's neck and, with the help of another witness, began to administer cardio-pulmonary resuscitation.

One of the neighbors argued that CPR was not appropriate for the victim, but Becker said he couldn't find a pulse and CPR was the only hope.

"His lips were blue," Becker said. "His eyes were rolled back in his head. He was gone."

Becker and the other man continued CPR until paramedics arrived.

Police said the victim was declared dead shortly after arrival at The Queen's Medical Center.

Reach Karen Blakeman at kblakeman@honoluluadvertiser.com.