Man charged in fatal shooting
By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer
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An O'ahu grand jury yesterday indicted a 33-year-old Wai'anae man on charges of murder and attempted murder in connection with the shooting death of a man last week in the parking lot of a karaoke bar off Ke'eaumoku Street.
Phillip D. Deleon was charged with one count each of first- and second-degree attempted murder, second-degree murder, first-degree reckless endangering, and four firearms counts. He was being held on $2 million bail.
Deleon is accused of shooting to death Shawn Powell, 35, in the parking lot of Seoul Karaoke on Rycroft Street early on July 31.
Police said Powell and several other people were leaving the bar shortly before 4:20 a.m. when Deleon fired three shots into the ground and then approached Powell, according to court documents.
Deleon then fired one shot at Powell, striking him in the chest, police said. Powell was taken to the hospital, where he died.
After shooting Powell, court documents said, Deleon fired one round at a witness as that person was running from the scene. The court document did not say what led to the shooting, although police initially said that an argument preceded the shooting.
Police launched an island-wide search for the shooting suspect, who fled the scene in an car. Deleon was arrested Friday night at the Honolulu International Airport before he boarded a flight.
Police said Deleon had purchased a ticket for a Delta Air Lines flight that was scheduled to depart at 9:50 p.m.
Prosecutors charged Deleon with first-degree attempted murder because he allegedly fired at more than one person. If convicted of this charge, he would face a mandatory prison term of life without the possibility of parole, which is the state's harshest punishment.
A conviction of second-degree murder carries a mandatory term of life in prison with the possibility of parole.