A California family alleged they were targeted in a racially motivated attack during a chaotic poolside brawl at the Kaanapali Alii resort in Lahaina on July 17, family members told Hawaii News Now. Maui police said officers responded that night to a disorderly incident involving about 30 people.
Maui police told Fox News Digital that when officers arrived they found 10 to 15 people still gathered near the pool, several with visible injuries. Police said a preliminary investigation identified seven California victims between the ages of 17 and 62 who reported that a large group of juveniles assaulted multiple members of their party before fleeing.
Police said one victim told investigators he and his family were near the pool when an unknown man ran toward them asking for help and that several juvenile males chased the individual into the area before turning on others. Maui police told Fox News Digital that the group allegedly began throwing chairs and physically assaulting numerous people of all ages, including elderly family members. The family told Hawaii News Now the alleged attackers repeatedly threatened to “beat up the haole boys,” a phrase Merriam-Webster defines as a term used to describe a foreigner or person of non-Hawaiian descent.
The family said one relative was struck in the head with a chair while trying to protect others and required 13 staples, the family told Hawaii News Now. Maui police told Fox News Digital the investigation led to the arrest of a 20-year-old Makawao man on suspicion of second-degree assault; he was later released as detectives continued gathering evidence. Police classified the case as an assault/riot and said detectives have interviewed those involved.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Kaanapali Alii said resort security responded promptly, contacted the Maui Police Department and emergency medical services, and remained on scene until first responders arrived. The resort said it has provided surveillance footage and is cooperating with law enforcement while conducting its own internal review, and it urged caution against drawing conclusions about motive while the investigation is ongoing. Maui police asked anyone with information or video related to the incident to contact the department’s Criminal Investigation Division at (808) 244-6425.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
