Update 8:30 p.m.: Kaiser Maui Lani, hospital receive threats Thursday | News, Sports, Jobs

Publish date: 2024-07-08

Kaiser Permanente Maui Lani Elua Clinic and Maui Memorial Medical Center dealt with threats Thursday that led to the clinic closing and the hospital going into lockdown, according to Maui police

Kaiser Maui Lani clinic was closed Thursday afternoon for the rest of the day due to a “security issue,” a Kaiser spokeswoman said.

Police said Kaiser reported someone making a threat, but by the time police arrived at the clinic the person had left, said Maui police spokesman Lt. Gregg Okamoto. The clinic already had shut down on its own before police arrived.

Police were investigating the case, he said.

Kaiser spokeswoman Laura Lott said that at about 3 p.m. the clinic closed down for the day following a “security issue.”

Patient Maile Cerizo of Wailuku arrived at the Maui Lani clinic at about 3:50 p.m. for an appointment when someone who looked like a nurse ran outside and met her right outside the lobby. The person told her to get back in her car and to leave as quickly as possible. She said that they were having a situation at the clinic.

“All the people were hustling back to their car as soon as I got in my car,” Cerizo said. “It looked like an evacuation. It was so weird and scary, especially in today’s day and age.”

Urgent care at the facility Thursday evening was closed too, Lott said.

If patients missed their appointments, they can call 243-6000 Friday to reschedule, she said.

At about 6:30 p.m. less than a mile away, police responded to a phone threat at Maui Memorial, Okamoto said. The hospital went into lockdown.

No threat was found and officers had left the hospital, Okamoto said at about 8:15 p.m.

He said that possibly the same person made the threats to both Kaiser and Maui Memorial.

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