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Officer

James K. Keonaona

Honolulu Police Department — Honolulu, HI
Felonious
United States flag Hawaii flag
End of Watch August 8, 1923
Age 43
The Vigil Panel 107 · Column 1 · Line 21 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 51

Incident

Officer James Keonaona was shot and killed by a prison escapee near the Honouliuli Internment Camp. The prisoner had been serving a murder sentence in the Oahu prison but had escaped in 1921. Officer Keonaona saw the man walk past his house in the morning as he walked to his outhouse. Seeing the man, he ran back inside, grabbed his gun, and confronted him. Upon being told he was under arrest, the man asked to smoke a cigarette and Officer Keonaona said he could. The man reached inside his shirt but instead pulled out a handgun and shot Officer Keonaona in the face, killing him instantly. Officer Keonaona's wife witnessed the shooting. The man fled but was arrested approximately two hours later. He was subsequently hanged at the prison on Oahu on October 26th, 1923.

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August 2, 2026

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Keonaona served with the Honolulu Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Honolulu community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Keonaona.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Honolulu Police Department
Type Police Department
Location Honolulu, Honolulu County, HI
Platform Identity hpd.honolulu.hi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 8, 1923
Age 43
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

James is one of 15,742 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1923, 199 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 14th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

James was 43. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

August holds 8.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Wednesdays: 12.9%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Honolulu Police Department has 52 officers remembered here, James among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Officer James K. Keonaona

Honolulu Police Department · End of Watch August 8, 1923

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 42-W

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