ALA MOANA, Hawaii (KHON2) — Two men have been arrested following an attempted murder at Ala Moana Beach Park on Wednesday, Feb. 26.

According to Honolulu police, shortly after 8 p.m., two men got into an argument. As a result of the altercation, an 18-year-old male victim was shot.

Paramedics with Honolulu EMS responded to the incident and took the man to an area hospital in serious condition.

Meanwhile, police met with a witness who identified the suspect who shot the victim. HPD later arrested two men, 19 and 21 years old, and charges are pending.

The area is considered a sensitive place under Hawaiʻi’s gun laws, meaning firearms are not allowed to be carried whether the person has a concealed permit or not.

Advocates against gun violence said this is an example of how restrictions work.

“This is a case where one person had a gun and that turned out tragically. Imagine if dozens of people at the beach park had a gun because we made it legal for them to have it there. Every fight, every argument would escalate into a gun fight,” explained Chris Martin, Everytown’s Veteran Council.

In 2024, the 9th Circuit Court ruled that laws on prohibiting individuals from carrying firearms at beaches and parks were constitutional, but gun rights advocates argued they’re not the ones breaking the law.

“Generally speaking, all of these gun crimes are committed by people who own their guns illegally. Right. They’ve gotten them by stealing them from someone else or acquiring them illegally in some manner,” said Kainoa Kaku, Hawaii Rifle Association President.

“For mass casualty or mass shooting events, if it’s in a gun free zone and everyone’s following the law, then there’s no one there to stop the bad guy.”

There have been at least four shootings in public spaces since Honolulu’s Sensitive Places Law went into effect in 2023.

Martin said more weapons always equal more violence and good guys with guns shouldn’t think they’re vigilantes.

“They are the police, that they are the military. They are not. They are not trained to that degree. I was in the military. I went to combat. We preach training, safety and accountability around firearms in all aspects of the military. And we need to see more of that in civilian life,” Martin said.