Surveillance video from a Honolulu condominium shows what can happen in a garage in broad daylight: a man confronts two women, elbows a 77-year-old resident in the face, and picks up her 24-year-old friend as she fights back. Diesel Makanikaiaulu Kawelo, 23, was charged Wednesday with kidnapping and is held on $500,000 bail.
The reason the younger woman is safe is not complicated. Neighbors heard the screams. Beverly Louis and Mike Finkelstein ran toward the commotion instead of away from it, and the 24-year-old broke free. The suspect fled in his truck and was arrested hours later after being seen running naked nearby.
For those of us parking in garages from Bradenton down to Venice and Englewood, the takeaway is worth a moment: these are shared spaces, and we’re each other’s first line. Know your neighbors. Trust the hair standing up on the back of your neck. Have the 911 call ready and your location clear. What would you do if you heard a scream in your complex’s garage tonight?
