By Laura French
HONOLULU — A Hawaii paramedic became emotional recalling the aftermath of the shooting that killed two Honolulu police officers on Jan. 19.
Honolulu Paramedic Kaipo Hayashida told KITV of his reaction to the shooting that killed Honolulu Police Officers Tiffany-Victoria Enriquez and Kaulike Kalama, and a subsequent fire that destroyed several homes, at a lunch for first responders hosted by La Pietra Hawaii School for Girls on Tuesday.
“When I arrived home, basically I think that’s when it hit me. ‘Cause I went home to my family and then I see my son crawling to me,” Hayashida said. “And then I could feel for the families and everything like that. Just an appreciation that I was able to go home safe.”
Hayashida and his partner were some of the first EMS personnel to arrive at the scene in an ambulance, according to Hawaii News Now. At the lunch event, he reunited with Gisela Ricardi King, who was stabbed during the Jan. 19 attack. King’s landlord, Lois Ann Cain, was also killed, as was another tenant, Jaroslav “Jerry” Hanel.
“I lost my friend. We lost two officers unfortunately,” King said. “I have that every day on my mind, but also I’m so grateful. I saw a lot of miracles happen for us to be alive.”