MAKAHA, Hawaii (KHON2) — The father of a slain farmer in Makaha is hoping a small victory at the Legislature on Monday will not be the last and hopes no other local families have to go through what he did.
Mike Pia’s 39-year-old son Cranston was shot and killed in February, 2023 after an altercation with a trespasser on their Makaha Ranch. Cranston’s father said a bill to clarify stand-your-ground gun laws on agricultural land will not bring his son back, but it might help protect other families.
“And hopefully this thing, this Legislature pass it,” Mike Pia said, “for the parents that doesn’t have to go through you know, or the spouses doesn’t have to go through or the family doesn’t have to go through what I went through.”
Hawaii’s current stand-your-ground laws allow lawful gun owners to use deadly force to protect themselves if they believe their lives are in danger on their own property or while they are at work. Some said the rules make confronting armed poachers difficult if they live or work on agricultural land.
“It’s too far for us for being on agricultural land to retreat back to our house because we’re in the back, you know, we’re distance away, a few, maybe 300 feet away from our house,” said Makaha resident Austin Salcedo, “how can we retreat back to the house, but to stand our ground and to defend ourselves?”
Some lawmakers said deescalating a situation by retreating might not work out with an unknown, armed assailant.
“But if that’s what the law is and the law abiders back down, the people breaking the law, they’re already breaking the law. So they’re going to go forward,” said Sen. Tim Richards.
The stand-your-ground bill passed its first committee hearing on Tuesday and has yet to be scheduled in the Judiciary Committee.
Richards named the legislation after Cranston Pia, which is something Mike appreciates more than words can express.
“And to grieve your son, I can’t imagine if other the parents would feel,” Mike said. “Forever in our hearts, he will always be there.”
“Unless we really stand up and take crimes against agriculture seriously, it’s going to continue to grow,” Richards said.
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Click the links below for more information about agricultural crime-related bills.
SB1257
SB1248
SB1249