Picture Credit: khon2
Store owner raised security concerns at a Maui mall before the fatal stabbing
News Source: Khon2
HONOLULU (KHON2) – Before a fatal stabbing at Queen Kaahumanu Center on Maui, a store owner, Daniel Norton, raised concerns about security issues, including vagrants harassing customers. He complained to mall management but felt his concerns were dismissed until the attack occurred. Norton claimed that management even made what he considered to be a threatening comment in response to his complaints.
Norton said that more than a week before the stabbing, he complained about vagrants harassing customers outside his furniture store, Village Home. However, he felt his complaints were not taken seriously and were even met with accusations of racism. Norton received an email from a manager suggesting that homeless people be rounded up and sent to his house, which he perceived as a threat.
After the stabbing, Norton’s concerns were acknowledged, and he received an apology from a managing partner at the mall. The mall’s management stated that they take all communication seriously and that the views expressed by one employee do not reflect their team’s stance. They promised to take disciplinary action.
The family of Eduardo Alejandro Cerezo, the man who was fatally stabbed, expressed disappointment with the mall management’s response to safety concerns. They hoped that Cerezo’s death and the security issues raised would lead to significant changes at the mall. They retained attorney Jeffrey Foster to investigate Cerezo’s death and called for anyone with information to come forward.
In response to the incident, the mall management reiterated their commitment to customer and tenant safety. They stated that they would take action based on the incident to ensure a safe shopping environment. Norton believed that with proper security measures, the stabbing could have been prevented, emphasizing the need for improved security at the mall.
