Police: Man who attacked woman with box cutter in Waikiki chose victim at random

WAIKIKI (HawaiiNewsNow) - In the latest of a string of violent crimes in Waikiki, a woman is recovering after a man allegedly attacked her with a box cutter, leaving her with gashes to her hands, neck and chin.

It happened in broad daylight — about 1:30 Wednesday afternoon — in front of the Longs Drug Store on Kalakaua Avenue.

Sources say the victim works in the area and was sitting at one of the tables in front of Longs when a man randomly came up behind her.

The two exchanged a few words then, police say, he put her in a chokehold and tried to cut her throat.

It took less than an hour for police to arrest Andrew Davis just blocks from the scene near Royal Hawaiian and Kuhio.

Pama Kanehailua was in his office doing paperwork when he noticed a patrol car stop in the intersection.

"When I looked to see where the officer was looking at I saw the guy standing by the tree," said Kanehailua. "He basically put his hands up and laid on the ground and stayed there. He just gave up."

Police say during the attack a bystander heard the woman scream and knocked Davis to the ground.

Sources say he dropped the box cutter and ran, but a good Samaritan followed him and called police.

People who work in the area say Davis has been homeless for some time and is often seen walking the streets acting strangely.

"Kind of really sketchy, dodgy," said Crystal Palacios. "One of those characters you kind of want to veer away from."

Kanehailua added: "I see him singing loud to himself. Talking to himself. You could tell he wasn't all there."

Now the 49-year-old is accused of attempted murder. He remains behind bars.

A check of Davis' criminal history shows a violent past dating back nearly three decades. He has 19 convictions, including for manslaughter, robbery and drug crimes.

Palacios said the attack has left her rattled.

"There's been so much bad stuff happening. Especially in this area," she said.

A string of violent attacks in Waikiki date back to September, when a man was fatally shot outside club Alley Cat near Kuhio and Seaside.

In early October, a woman visiting from Canada was beaten in an apparent random attack in the area of Kuhio and Kaiulani.

Later that month, a teenager was charged with stabbing a Marine to death outside a night club in Waikiki near Kalakaua and Royal Hawaiian.

Then, just after the new year, a woman was raped, burned and brutally beaten by a man she met outside a bar near Ala Moana and Hobron.

And in February, a man was killed in an apparently unprovoked assault outside another bar close to Ena and Kalakaua.

In response to the attacks, police have pledged to beef up police presence in the state's no. 1 tourist destination, and tourism industry leaders have sought to assure visitors that Waikiki remains a safe place to visit and stay.

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