A shopper leaving a Target in Kahului was struck multiple times with an aluminum baseball bat Friday night as families watched from the parking lot, an attack that sent the man to the hospital with head wounds and severe injuries to both hands and led police to arrest a 32-year-old suspect minutes later, authorities and witnesses said.
Police said the assault happened around 8 p.m. on the store’s lot off Hookele Street, a busy retail corridor near the airport. The victim, who asked that his name not be published, told reporters he was walking to his car with his girlfriend, Kiana Bascon, and her five-year-old daughter when a stranger began yelling, accused them of killing his father and raised a bat. Bascon said she hurried the child to safety as the man advanced. A witness described seeing a white metal bat come down “six or eight really hard” times before the attacker ran. Officers responding to 911 calls detained a man nearby and opened a felony assault case. The store resumed normal operations after paramedics treated the victim and transported him for further care.
Detectives booked Gabriel Pangkee, 32, on three counts of assault along with criminal property damage and habitual property crime, according to court records summarized by officials. Records show Pangkee has nine prior convictions, including a 2018 felony burglary that resulted in probation. He remained in custody over the weekend pending a court appearance. Investigators said the attack appeared unprovoked and that they were reviewing surveillance video from the parking lot and adjacent storefronts to map the suspect’s path in and out of the scene. Officers collected the aluminum bat and photographed blood drops, scuff marks and damaged items around the victim’s vehicle.
The victim suffered cuts to the head and what doctors described as significant hand damage consistent with blocking blows. Bascon said surgeons recommended that he travel to Oahu for specialized procedures on tendons and bones. The couple said they lack health insurance and are bracing for travel and hospital costs as he recovers. “He needs his hands to work,” Bascon said. A bystander who asked not to be named called the flurry of swings “terrifying” and said families ducked behind cars while others shouted and waved to draw attention. Shoppers described a brief, chaotic minute when the bat struck repeatedly and the suspect bolted across the lot.
Target said the safety of customers and employees is a priority and that it is assisting Maui police with the investigation. Staff members helped clear the area and guided first responders to the scene, the company said in a statement. Police added extra patrols through the weekend along the Hookele Street complex, where big-box stores share wide lots and foot traffic peaks after dinner. A security contractor for a nearby business said guards were asked to keep radios open to police traffic in case a suspect description went out again.
Kahului’s retail district draws locals and visitors, and recent months have seen scattered reports of fights and property crimes in large parking areas around closing time. Police said Friday’s case stands out for its public setting and the severity of the weapon. Detectives are checking whether the suspect had contact with store security earlier in the evening or was seen loitering. Investigators will also look at whether the accused made similar claims elsewhere that night, which could speak to motive or state of mind. Officials did not identify any link between the parties and said there was no indication the victim attempted to provoke or engage the assailant.
Court files reviewed by officials show Pangkee previously underwent a mental health evaluation in an unrelated case and was deemed fit to proceed, resulting in probation. In the current case, prosecutors are expected to seek conditions that bar contact with the victim and restrict access to the shopping center if he posts bond. Assault charges in Hawaii can be filed as first-, second- or third-degree counts depending on injury and intent; prosecutors will decide how to structure the case after reviewing medical records and video. Habitual property crime statutes allow enhanced penalties for repeat offenders tied to theft or damage.
Families who witnessed the attack described a swift response by store workers and strangers who shepherded children indoors. A father who had just loaded a cart into his trunk said he heard a shout, then the metallic smack of a bat. “I saw people crouch behind bumpers,” he said, adding that someone in a red shirt yelled for everyone to call 911. Within minutes, patrol cars swept the rows and an officer returned on foot with a man in handcuffs as medics wrapped the victim’s head. The lot grew quiet as tape went up around a small patch of asphalt dotted with gauze and a broken phone case.
Police outlined next steps that include pulling time-stamped video from the Target entrance, canvassing neighboring stores for additional angles, and interviewing witnesses who left before officers arrived. Detectives will also examine the bat for prints or biological material and compare any images of the suspect’s clothing to footage from earlier in the night. Prosecutors are expected to file a charging document ahead of a Jan. 13 court date. If indicted on higher-degree assault, the defendant could face a felony case that moves to Circuit Court; a misdemeanor path would keep the matter in District Court while still allowing protective orders and restitution requests for medical bills.
Bascon said she hopes the case prompts more visible security in the lot during evening hours. “We didn’t expect anything like this—families were right there,” she said. Target’s statement did not specify any changes but noted that leaders will continue to cooperate with police and evaluate safety protocols. Shoppers who returned Saturday found normal operations at the store. Orange cones marked a few parking spaces near the entrance as custodial staff finished cleaning. By midafternoon, the lot was full again, and a security vehicle idled at the curb.
As of Monday, the victim remained in recovery and awaiting consultations with hand specialists on Oahu. Police said the investigation is active and asked witnesses who recorded video to preserve original files for detectives. A court update is expected at the defendant’s next appearance, when a judge will consider bail and no-contact terms and set a preliminary hearing schedule.
Author note: Last updated January 13, 2026.