A Christmas tragedy for a Samoan family in Hawaii

By Josefa Steven Maiava 07 January 2017, 12:00AM

Tragedy struck a Samoan family in Hawaii just before Christmas.

It did when Stevie Feliciano, was pronounced dead, after being shot in the head.

Reports from the Queen’s Medical Center said Steve was on life support until he passed away.

The young man’s mother, Fiti Feliciano, was inconsolable.

 “If Stevie could hear this, I’ll tell him, ‘you gotta wake up’,” Fiti told Hawaii News Now reporter, Chelsea Davis.

“You got your whole life in front of you. You’re only 20 years old. I’m not gonna let them take you. You’re everything to me.”

The shooting happened on Christmas night ruining the Festive Season for the Feliciano and Leaupepe families.

Fiti told Hawaii News the death was heartbreaking and no parent should ever have to endure the pain and suffering she had to go through.

“It’s the worst dream that a parent can have,” she told the Hawaii News.

“It’s like somebody just stabbed me in my heart.”

She said her son was a ‘sweet boy’, with a loving and passionate personality, and quite popular with lots of friends.

Dae Han Moon, 20, is the suspect. According to court records, Moon was said to have been out on bail for auto theft charges, felony firearms, and a warrant on his head for drugged driving at the time of the shooting.

Moon apparently turned himself in after he was charged with second-degree murder last Thursday, indicted by Honolulu’s grand jury.

The other suspect which the Honolulu police department are still looking for is Lance Bermudez.

He is a wanted man with an arrest warrant of $500,000 for the crimes of hindering prosecution in the first-degree. 

It was said that Feliciano was simply at the wrong place, at the wrong time.

News report from the Aloha State said the Police believe that Feliciano and his friends made their way to the parking lot of Ala Moana at 7:30pm to purchase marijuana from an unknown source.

There were no records proving that Feliciano was a marijuana user himself.

The Honolulu Star Advertiser reports, “Before they could pick up marijuana, Moon and his friends showed up in a vehicle.”

Deputy Prosecutor Chasid Sapolu, stated that Moon and his friends showed up with the intentions to cause trouble.

“One of Moon’s friends started a fight with Feliciano,” Sapolu told the court.

“After the fight, Moon returned to his car and grabbed a firearm. Pointed it and struck the victim once in the head with the firearm and pointed it and fired a shot into the back of the victims head.”  

The heart wrenching tragedy that robbed young Feliciano of his life has attracted the sympathy and support of people all around the world as they offered up their help and condolences to the affected families.

Fiti stated that all the loving support from people has been nothing less of remarkable.  

Diana, Stevie’s sister, contributed to her family in her own way by creating a “Go Fund Me” page online, whereby people can donate money to help out with the funeral expenses.

She wrote, “Please help us give my brother a funeral he deserves” on the page.

Social media platforms have been overflowing with heartwarming tributes and condolences.

Out of the many kind and touching posts on Facebook, one stood out:

 “I can’t believe you are gone,” it reads. 

“But your memories live on in us. You were so loved. Heaven has gained a beautiful soul as an angel. I love you Stevie Feliciano. Things will not be the same again. Aunty Fiti, the Lord will provide solace for you to help heal your broken heart. I can’t relate to the pain you are going through. He was your pele and you couldn’t hide it even if you tried. No mother deserves to bury their kids. I know Stevie is next to you spiritually, comforting you at this moment. Your son was a strong man; he fought so hard to come back to you. Loto malosi. We will one day see him again. RIP BABY! Watch over your mom and your siblings.” 

By Josefa Steven Maiava 07 January 2017, 12:00AM

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