Police seek three suspects in Kailua-Kona assault on Alii Drive

Three men were caught on surveillance assaulting a victim in a Kailua-Kona shopping area on Alii Drive, a case that puts fresh attention on safety along one of West Hawaii’s busiest visitor-and-business corridors.

Police said the assault happened March 14 and were asking the public to help identify the suspects. The surveillance footage is central to the investigation, and detectives are using it to try to match the three men to the attack and any other available leads.

Alii Drive draws steady foot traffic from shoppers, workers and visitors, especially around its commercial strip in Kailua-Kona. A violent encounter in that setting can ripple beyond the immediate victim, raising concern among merchants and anyone moving through the area after dark.

The case also puts the spotlight on the kind of security questions that matter most to businesses along the corridor: how visible the street feels at night, how quickly police can respond, and whether cameras in the area are enough to help identify suspects when an assault happens in public view.

For now, investigators are relying on surveillance and public assistance to put names to the three men seen in the footage. The assault on March 14 is a reminder that even in a high-traffic shopping district, a fast-moving attack can leave victims vulnerable and leave police working backward from video to identification.