John W. Mahelona

Honolulu Police Department — Honolulu, HI

Felonious

End of Watch November 19, 1903

The Vigil Panel 19 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 51

Incident

Officer John Mahelona was shot and killed by a chicken thief on Buckle Lane, near the intersection of Liliha Street and Vineyard Boulevard. Officer Mahelona caught the thief and encountered two sons of a police captain before returning to a yard to look for other sacks the suspect reported were there. The police captain's sons went to assist the officer along with another citizen. After leading the officer and the citizen to a dark corner, the man shot Officer Mahelona. The citizen then captured him and held him until one of the sons took him and handed him over to other officers. The 41-year-old one arm suspect was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to 25 years hard labor. Buckle Lane no longer exists and was in the area of the 300 block of North Vineyard Street.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: neuraspine_01krbxtn3kkj4v4fvkv57a127h
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew John. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

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

— 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 November 19, 1903

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

John is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

Compare against

Time

In 1903, 103 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 50th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

When

November holds 8.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Thursdays: 14%.

By month

By day of the week

III

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause

Weapons recorded