Police have arrested three teenage boys in connection with a brutal attack on a California family at a luxury Maui resort, an incident the victims say was racially motivated.
The confrontation erupted around 10 p.m. on July 17 at the Kaanapali Alii resort in West Maui, after local officers were called to a disturbance involving about 30 people near the resort pool. At least one victim suffered a bloody head wound during the melee.
Seven California visitors, ages 17 to 62, told police they were assaulted after a group of young people allegedly threw chairs and attacked members of their family while calling them “haole boys.”
The family said they believe they were targeted because they are white and have urged investigators to treat the Maui resort attack as a hate crime.
Authorities have arrested four people in all in connection with the incident, though police have not classified the case as a hate crime.
On Monday, Maui police arrested a 14-year-old Lahaina boy on suspicion of riot and second-degree assault; a 16-year-old Wailuku boy on suspicion of riot and second-degree assault; and a 16-year-old Lahaina boy on suspicion of riot.
All three teenagers were released from custody as the investigation continues.
The arrests followed the earlier detention of a 20-year-old Makawao man on suspicion of second-degree assault. He was also later released pending further investigation.
At least six victims suffered injuries in the attack that were serious enough to require medical treatment.
Family member Joseph Headfield said the violence was preceded by racial threats from a woman he described as the group’s “ringleader.”
“There were three females, one of which was the ringleader,” Headfield told Hawaii News Now. “She got up in people’s faces, said, ‘We’re going to beat up your boys tonight. We’re going to beat up the haole boys.’”
“Haole” is a Hawaiian term for a person who is not of Native Hawaiian or Polynesian descent and is commonly used to describe white people or non-locals.
Maui Police Department spokeswoman Alana Pico said the investigation remains ongoing as officials continue to gather and review information.
“If the investigation finds evidence that this incident was motivated by bias, including racial bias, or involved gang-related criminal activity, those offenses will be charged as appropriate,” Pico said.
