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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, January 22, 2010

Chief reassures public, says Waialae-Kahala beatings 'not a random act'


Advertiser Staff

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

This is a photo of Zachary Robinson provided by the Honolulu Police Department.

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Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha said the beating of two people at a Waialae-Kahala home early yesterday was not “a random act” and added he wants to reassure the public that the community is safe.

“These types of crimes are very rare,” he said, adding that he decided to address the attack in a news conference to “relieve them (residents) of any stress or fear they are feeling.”
Police have arrested Zachary T. Robinson, 19, in connection with the beatings.
Robinson, who has no local address, was picked up in Waikďkď about 11 a.m. yesterday on two warrants.
He was arrested at the main police station at about 11 p.m. last night on suspicion of first-degree robbery, first degree attempted murder and two counts of attempted second-degree murder.
Police say they are not looking for any other suspects at this time.
At a short news conference this afternoon, Kealoha provided few new details on the case.
But he did say that charges are pending against the suspect.
“There is no reason to believe this was a random act,” he said.
Police reports today indicate investigators found dangerous drugs in the house at 1451 Halekoa Drive. Kealoha declined to go into details on what kind of drugs were found in the house or how much.
Officers responding to a complaint of noise shortly before 3:30 yesterday morning found 85-year-old Mary Lee Koskinen and her caretaker, 40-year-old Matthew Edmondson, severely beaten inside the house.
The two remain in critical condition, Kealoha said.
Police opened a robbery investigation yesterday, but said at the time they were uncertain whether the assault resulted from a home invasion or burglary.
Court records show Robinson has six previous arrests, three for contempt, but no convictions.
He was last arrested in November on first-degree burglary charges after residents of a Waikiki apartment reported that someone had broken into their unit while they were sleeping and stole cash and a laptop computer.
Robinson, who was a suspect in several other Waikiki burglaries, was arrested after an officer viewing surveillance video recognized him.
A pre-trial bail report says Robinson said he was born in Florida but had lived in Hawaii since 2005.