Man arrested in Hawaii after causing lockdowns at Army bases following ‘scuffle’ with soldiers, officials say

A man was arrested in Hawaii after causing a lockdown at an Army base by getting “into a scuffle,” officials say. 

The incident Thursday at the Schofield Barracks in Oahu was treated as an “active shooter situation” although no shots were fired, Michael Donnelly, a spokesperson for U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii, told the Associated Press.  

He was “trying to allegedly talk with soldiers,” Donnelly told the AP. “I don’t know if he was bartering or selling stuff, but someone confronted him, and they got into a scuffle. There was a handgun witnessed, visible.” 

Neighboring Wheeler Army Airfield also went into lockdown, as did two public schools on Schofield: Daniel K. Inouye Elementary and Solomon Elementary. The incident occurred around 2:30 p.m., as children were leaving for the day, and staff, students and parents were secured indoors. 

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The New York Times, citing a spokeswoman for the Maui Police Department, later reported Friday morning that the suspect, identified as 27-year-old Paul Smith, was taken into custody “without incident” last night on the island of Molokai. 

Donnelly said the Army is coordinating with the Honolulu Police Department to find the suspect. 

He had a “Mohawk type haircut with button down collared aloha shirt, light blue jeans, tan Nike foam shoes with red swoosh and multicam cross body bag,” U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii said in a Facebook post. 

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U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii said earlier that officials were “searching for a reported armed individual on Schofield Barracks.” 

The lockdowns at the bases were lifted after several hours. 

Schofield Barracks is about 20 miles north of Honolulu. It hosts the 25th Infantry Division and the 8th Theater Sustainment Command. 

 

Wheeler Army Airfield, just next door, is home to the Hawaii Air National Guard and the headquarters for U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.