'AIEA — Schoolkids on spring break and shoppers at Pearlridge Center became eyewitnesses to a police shooting yesterday, some so close that they could see the flash from the officer's gun.

Honolulu Police Chief Boisse Correa said last night that a man fleeing in a stolen car dragged one police officer, almost hit another and rammed a third officer's car before a fourth policeman shot at least five times and killed him.

Correa said the slain man was a 47-year-old felon with 18 prior convictions, but did not identify him by name.

Adam Victoria-Santarone, 20, of Pearl Kai, was coming up to the second parking level of Pearlridge Center Phase III when he saw the incident.

"I saw it all," he said. "I was 10 feet away from where it was all taking place.

"I was coming up the stairs from Denny's and all I saw was two police officers with their guns drawn and they were identifying themselves as police, trying to make him (the suspect in a blue car) stop."

"He didn't want to stop. One of the policemen goes over to the other side of the car and tries to stop him by grabbing the steering wheel — because the window, it was like shot out. And the policeman was getting dragged because he (the suspect) didn't want to stop. He just kept going."

At that point, the officer being dragged let go of the steering wheel and the driver of the blue car continued to attempt to drive away, Victoria-Santarone said. In the process he rammed into a white van being driven by a civilian. Within seconds, he was blocked by three vehicles, including the white van, Victoria-Santarone said.

But the suspect was still gunning the engine trying to bang his way out, Victoria-Santarone said.

What exactly happened is confusing, and accounts varied.

Victoria-Santarone said he believes six shots were fired and that one officer fired them all.

"I actually saw him (the suspect) get hit two times. I saw him get hit in the chest. Later on I found out he got shot in the head. I saw the shot — like the flash — I knew it was high."

Not long after the shooting, he saw Emergency Medical Services arrive, he said.

Moments later, he saw them wheel away an empty, bloody gurney.

"That's when I knew it must be bad," Victoria-Santarone said.

SEQUENCE OF EVENTS

Correa said two plainclothes Crime Reduction Unit units, from the Wahiawa and Pearl City districts, were in the area yesterday investigating recent home-invasion robberies. They responded to the auto-theft complaint at Pearlridge shortly after 3 p.m., he said.

The officers approached the suspect on the second-level parking structure at Pearlridge's Phase III, above Denny's Restaurant and near the Cold Stone Creamery.

All the shots were fired by one officer, a 15-year HPD veteran who was not named. The officer has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of separate criminal and internal investigations into the shooting, Correa said.

The chief said he was told five shots were fired, but at least one witness heard seven.

The standard 9mm HPD service weapon has a 15-shot magazine with another round in the chamber.

Correa did not disclose the slain man's name at a news conference and reserved comment when asked if the suspect was armed.

The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene at 3:24 p.m., according to Honolulu Emergency Services spokesman Bryan Cheplic.

Two officers were treated for minor injuries, Correa said.

AFTER THE INCIDENT

In the hours after the mid-afternoon shooting, police and Pearlridge security kept the scene blocked off with yellow police tape and police cars.

Curious bystanders stood outside the tape and talked about what had happened.

Nearby, the blue Honda that had been driven by the suspect sat sandwiched among three SUVs.

Asolua Maika, 13, was among the students hanging out at Pearlridge yesterday.

"I was standing right here" when the incident happened, said the 'Aiea Intermediate School student, pointing to a spot in front of Cold Stone Creamery.

"It started over here, two cars banging against each other," he said. "Then they took off across this parking lot. And then three more vans came in and they surrounded the car.

"OK, so first it was two vehicles right here and they were hitting each other," he said.

"And then the car in the front — that was the guy I think got shot — he took off first and they surrounded his car."

Seven shots were fired in all, he said.

He said he heard the first two shots. But he saw the other five.

"I saw the undercover guy shoot him — he was the only one shooting.

"I was standing right here and I saw him shooting the gun."

Police said the medical examiner's office removed the suspect's body around 7:30 p.m. By 8 things had calmed down outside the parking lot.

THINGS QUIET DOWN

Across the bridge that connected the two lots on either side of Pali Momi Street, investigators continued to mill about.

Most people outside the Cold Stone Creamery had moved along.

One person still there was Wes Leong, whose black 2007 Chevy Colorado pickup was parked behind the yellow police tape, in the spot where Leong's wife, Tracy, had parked it before the incident.

Tracy had gone home in the car Wes drove to the mall at 6:30, while he was left to figure out what to do.

"Nobody tells me what's going on," Wes Leong said. "I can't get my pickup. I don't know who to go see. I've talked to the security guards and they say it's going to be closed off over there all night.

"I could take a taxi home, I guess. I don't know how I'll get to work in the morning."

The most recent previous fatal shooting involving police occurred May 13, 2006. Tracy Peters was shot to death on Ka'ukama Road in Wai'anae after firing a shotgun at police officers. Peters had more than 20 criminal convictions.

Reach Will Hoover at whoover@honoluluadvertiser.com.