Hawaii Democratic congressional candidate Kirill Basin was arrested after threatening beachgoers and engaging in a violent brawl at Keawakapu Beach in south Kihei, according to a report by the New York Post.
The 40-year-old candidate was recorded on video wearing only his underwear while shouting and arguing with people on the shore. Authorities said the confrontation began when a 61-year-old man asked Basin to turn down his loud music. In the video recording, Basin approached a group of beachgoers and threatened that if the man wanted to go to the hospital, he should come over to him.
Shortly afterward, Basin confronted a large man on the beach. Witnesses reported that Basin attempted to strike the man with a beach chair, but the man punched him hard in the face before he could complete the swing. Basin collapsed onto the sand and temporarily lost consciousness.
Beach Dispute and Knife Allegations
The man who delivered the punch attempted to revive Basin by rubbing his sternum. When Basin regained consciousness, a heated verbal exchange followed, during which Basin threatened that his opponent would be sent to prison. No second physical fight occurred despite the shouting that followed.
Witnesses told authorities that Basin claimed to have a gun before pulling out a knife and threatening the man he had fought. According to reports, Basin threw the knife into the sea before police officers arrived at the scene. Law enforcement officers later located and retrieved the weapon from the water.
Police arrested Basin on two counts of first-degree terroristic threatening, and a court set his bail at $1 million. Basin is running in the Democratic primary for Hawaii's 2nd Congressional District against incumbent Representative Jill Tokuda.
This is not Basin's first arrest. In May, authorities arrested him following allegations that he broke into a Maui County government building and threatened two public employees with a gun. Basin fled the scene after that incident but was apprehended shortly afterward and charged with first-degree terroristic threatening.
