Funeral set for man shot in Waikiki
November 12, 2011
By JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER The Associated Press

HONOLULU - The relatives of an Oahu man a federal agent allegedly shot are preparing for his funeral next week while the family's lawyer continues to piece together details about the fatal encounter in a Waikiki McDonald's restaurant.

A funeral service for Kollin Elderts, 23, of Kailua is set for Wednesday at Hawaiian Memorial Park Mortuary in Kaneohe. Elderts was shot in the chest last Saturday during an altercation at the McDonald's restaurant in the tourist district.

State Department Special Agent Christopher Deedy has been charged with second-degree murder and using a firearm in the commission of a felony. Deedy, 27, was released Monday after posting $250,000 bail and is expected to appear in court Thursday.

Deedy was in Honolulu to help with security at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. He has been put on paid administrative leave.

Michael Green, the attorney hired by Elderts' family, previously said the agent followed Elderts out of a nightclub, but the attorney provided a different account Thursday.

After drinking at a downtown bar, Elderts ended up in Waikiki with a group of friends, where they were joking around with workers at the McDonald's on Kuhio Avenue, Green said. Deedy and three others walked into the restaurant.

"They exchanged words back and forth," Green said. At one point, the agent asked, "Do you want to get shot?" Deedy then "karate-kicked" Elderts in the chest, knocking him down, Green said, and that "Kollin got up and smacked the guy."

The two began struggling with each other when Deedy fired three shots, Green said.

Police said a knife was recovered at the scene, but Green said he doesn't know who it belongs to. Elderts was unarmed, Green said.

On Wednesday, the medical examiner's office said Elderts had a blood-alcohol level of 0.12 percent. "I expected it to be around that," Green said.

Police would not comment on whether an alcohol test was administered on the agent.

Green said he's been talking to witnesses and understands that there was a surveillance camera in the McDonald's.

He plans to file a lawsuit next week against Deedy on behalf of Elderts' family. He said he also expects to file a lawsuit against the government.

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland has said she couldn't comment on the ongoing investigation, but she said the State Department was cooperating fully with law enforcement.

You need to be a member of maoliworld to add comments!

Email me when people reply –