A Democratic candidate for Congress in Hawaii, Kirill Basin, 40, was involved in an altercation on Keawakapu Beach in Maui where he is accused of throwing a chair at a stranger and threatening others. The incident occurred on Saturday after Basin was asked to lower the volume of music he was playing from a speaker.
Maui Police stated that the confrontation escalated when a 61-year-old man approached Basin to request he turn down his music. According to a criminal complaint, Basin responded by claiming he possessed a firearm and threatened to shoot the man's wife. Kama Homan, 41, intervened when Basin shoved him. Homan, who has mixed martial arts training, told Hawaii News Now that he then struck Basin.
Video footage from the scene appears to show Basin swinging a deck chair at Homan before Homan knocked him unconscious. Homan stated he was defending himself, describing the situation as a game-changer when Basin allegedly produced a six-inch switchblade and threatened him. Homan said he retrieved the knife from the shore and gave it to police.
Basin has been charged with two felonies for allegedly threatening Homan with a knife. He also faces terroristic threat charges from a May incident where he allegedly entered a government building and brandished a firearm at two employees. Details regarding the May incident, including the specific building and individuals threatened, remain unclear, though police noted it followed a pattern of erratic behavior.
Two days prior to his beach arrest, Basin was reportedly removed from a South Maui town hall meeting after a heated exchange with Councilmember Tom Cook and his staff. An assistant to Cook alleged that Basin confronted the assistant in the parking lot after being escorted from the meeting, requiring police intervention.
Basin's attorney, Brandon Segal, indicated in court on Tuesday that Basin intends to plead not guilty to the terroristic threat charges. Segal disputed the allegations of Basin possessing a knife or firearm during the beach incident, stating, "There's no evidence in any of these videos that have been circulated tremendously that he ever had a knife in his possession. He never had a firearm in his possession." Segal also called Basin's $1 million bail amount "outrageous."
Basin is described as a longshot candidate for Congress. He has previously denied allegations related to the town hall incident and filed a lawsuit claiming wrongful arrest. The Daily Mail has contacted Basin for comment on his recent arrest.