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Family members charged in alleged shooting incident in Vaitogi

Victims and defendants are all related
joyetter@samoanews.com

A woman and her son have been criminally charged by the police in connection to a case based on a family quarrel, which resulted in an alleged shooting incident that happened in Vaitogi last month.

Elaine “Laau” Michaels is facing charges of burglary and misdemeanor assault while her son, Lawrence “Larry” Michaels is charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm and private peace disturbance. They appeared in the District Court two weeks ago and their case is still pending in the lower court.

LAWRENCE ‘LARRY’ MICHAELS

According to the court affidavit against Lawrence on January 14, 2017, the police were called in for assistance in a family incident in Vaitogi. It’s alleged that when the police arrived, they observed Elaine sitting in front of the family guest house yelling towards the victim’s house and the victim’s sons were yelling back.

“Both groups were yelling obscenities and challenges towards one another,” says the court document. The victim told the police that she was scared for her and her children’s lifes because Elaine and her son Larry came to the house and threatened her family while Larry was holding a gun in his hand.

The victim stated that her son called out to Larry to put the gun down and fight him like a man.

According to the court filings, the victim stated that she recognized the gun, as that is the same gun Larry shows off to everyone. Further the affidavit says that while the police were interviewing the victim, Elaine repeatedly called out to the victim that she (Elaine) is not her aunt. According to the affidavit, Elaine was seen by the police officers, yelling and swearing at the victim saying they are all on drugs.

ELAINE ‘LAAU’ MICHAELS

Court filings in the case of Elaine indicate that she and her niece went to the victim’s house and assaulted the victim (Elaine’s other niece) in her home, on January 14, 2017. The affidavit says that the victim informed the police that Elaine and other family members entered her house “uninvited” through a closed but unlocked door and immediately began assaulting the victim.

The fight started inside the house of the victim and ended on the patio. When police arrived and met with the victim, who was observed gasping for air with scratches on her neck and chest areas… her blouse appeared to be stretched out.” The victim requested medical assistance, which was provided.

The case is still pending in the District Court.

In a separate case, last month the police charged the victim’s husband Vise Gauta with first-degree assault and unlawful use of a weapon.

According to the government, it was reported to the police that the Siaumau family was fighting and “guns are involved.” It’s alleged that the complaining witness (Elaine) informed the police that when she was driving to her house, her sister warned her that Solomona Sr. and Gauta were on their way to their house. The witness in the court affidavit says she allegedly saw “Solomona Sr. with a gun in his hand and was trying to point it at her while she was standing outside their front door. Solomona Sr. seemed to be having a hard time raising the gun, and Vesi (Gauta) then assisted Solomona Sr. by lifting the gun in an upward position, Solomona Sr. then discharged the gun at her immediately.”

Court filings further say that the complaining witness saw Gauta take the gun away from Solomona Sr.’s hand then aimed at her and fired a second shot. The third shot was again fired at the house where her kids were. Gauta in the police affidavit stated “Solomona Sr. was furious of his sister Elaine for beating his daughter the day before.”

Gauta further told the police that he recalled that when they reached Elaine’s (complaining witness) house Solomona Sr. got out of the car holding a pistol, which he claimed was a 38 special. Gauta “further stated that while trying to snatch the handgun away from Solomona Sr, the gun went off.” The defendant further claimed that when “having full possession of the handgun, he then fired another shot in the air subsequently, he fired a last shot at Elaine’s house.”

When Solomona Sr. was brought in for questioning, he said he didn’t recall anything of the incident.