Court docs: Waianae standoff suspect told authorities there would be ‘bloodshed’ if evicted

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - New court documents revealed that the suspect in the hours-long standoff with police last week in Waianae warned there would be “bloodshed” if he was ever to be forced out of his home.

Howard Abraham, 50, made his initial appearance in court Monday on multiple attempted murder charges.

He’s been charged with three counts of first-degree attempted murder and one count of causing injury to a law enforcement animal.

New court documents said Abraham’s landlord asked him to move out last summer, then a judge ordered him to move in October.

But Abraham repeatedly told authorities that if anyone tried to force him out of his home, there would be “bloodshed.”

During the standoff last Thursday, Abraham allegedly shot an arrow toward a sheriff and stabbed an police K-9 dog.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• Suspect in police standoff makes initial court appearance on attempted murder charges
• HPD: Police K-9 ‘recovering at home’ after being stabbed during barricade situation
• Waianae standoff suspect booked after allegedly shooting arrow at sheriffs, stabbing police dog

Meanwhile, the incident has left some Oahu landlords on edge.

“I was sad. It was sad because it’s a sign of the times,” said Honolulu landlord Joshua Sayegusa. “We don’t do that in Hawaii, not when I grew up.”

Sayegusa isn’t connected to this case but has had to evict people, and he says it’s always hard.

“What concerns is, people that have been with a landlord for years and then they get evicted and somehow the landlord doesn’t find something for them,” Sayegusa explained.

Psychologist Dr. Keith Pedro says getting evicted can trigger extreme fear and survival insticts.

“When we think of the word eviction, it has a very strong emotion,” Dr. Pedro said. He added that oftentimes, it evokes many different emotions.

Two months ago, an 85-year-old woman facing eviction in Liliha allegedly set her house on fire.

And last year near Ala Moana, 23-year-old Kendall Gray was indicted beating his girlfriend’s landlord, Alvin Matsumoto, to death.

“In the course of years, I’ve seen violence escalate,” Dr. Pedro said. “What has contributed to that? I’m not clear.”

The risk prompts most landlords to screen applicants and check their references.

For Sayegusa, when asked if he would rather leave his rooms empty with no rent coming in than let someone who doesn’t meet his standards rent a room, Sayegusa answered “absolute.”

“Its not just for the safety of myself, but also for the other tenants,” he added.