Christopher Deedy, a federal agent charged with killing a man inside a McDonald’s restaurant in Hawaii was released from police custody today after posting $250,000 bail.
Christopher Deedy, 27, is accused of fatally shooting 23-year-old Kollin Elderts in the chest during a confrontation in the early hours of Saturday in Waikiki.
An official spokesman for the Department of State confirmed that Christopher Deedy was in Hawaii to protect U.S. dignitaries at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, which will be attended by President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama at the weekend.
Special agent Christopher Deedy, who is attached to the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, was charged with second-degree murder and using a firearm in the commission of a felony.
Honolulu police said Christopher Deedy was released from jail at 5:15 a.m. yesterday. His first court appearance is scheduled for November 17.
Police spokesman Carolyn Sluyter said Kollin Elderts, Christopher Deedy and two other men were involved in a confrontation at the restaurant when the shooting occurred after an earlier altercation at a nightclub.
The victim, Kollin Elderts suffered a gunshot wound and was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Christopher Deedy was arrested at the scene, Carolyn Sluyter said. She did not identify the other two men.
Michael Green, an attorney for Kollin Elderts’ family, said the victim and Christopher Deedy didn’t know each other and that the victim was unarmed.
The shooting comes as security is ramped up in the area for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, which starts today.
It was not immediately known who Christopher Deedy’s attorney is.
President Obama and the First Lady were due to travel to Honolulu at the weekend for the APEC summit.
Kollin Eldert’s family have hired attorney Michael Green who claims that agent Christopher Deedy followed the victim to the McDonald’s at 3:00 a.m.
Michael Green said the victim “was in a club and got into a beef with a guy who turned out to be a federal agent. The guy followed him (Elderts) to McDonald’s and shot him once in the chest”.
The lawyer did not know the name of the nightclub. He added: “Nothing good happens at three o’clock.”
Michael Green told Hawaii News Now: “If you have a group of people, including this agent, at a bar or club, what’s the likelihood of all of them winding up at this McDonald’s shortly after that, before the club is closed? Someone apparently followed someone.”
The lawyer added: “He’s an agent of the federal government and my guess is he’s on duty 24 hours, just like our Honolulu Police Department people are.
“And so there are some issues involved and there are some legal questions that have to be answered.”
He said that a blood alcohol test was likely to take place.
“We can’t wait to see those test results,” Michael Green added.
Michael Green said he was in the process of tracking any surveillance videos from the McDonald’s and surrounding businesses.
Kollin Elderts was a graduate of Kalaheo High School in Kailua.
Kollin Elderts’ criminal record consisted of a 2008 disorderly conduct violation, for which he was ordered to pay $150 and a 2010 petty misdemeanor for operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant, for which he paid a $300 fine.
