Dept. of Public Safety (DPS) officials are confirming that Police Officer Time Loia who was injured when the police vehicle he occupied was shot at in Lepuapua Leone last weekend, was scheduled to depart the territory last night for Hawai’i where he will undergo a further operation to remove the three remaining shotgun pellets that are lodged in his head.

Hospital CEO, Taufete’e John Faumuina, confirms that the officer is going via LBJ’s off island referral program, where the hospital pays for his airfare while the family pays for everything else.

As yet, no arrests have been made in this matter.

As reported earlier, DPS officers, who are not authorized to talk to the media, told Samoa News that the incident happened in Lepuapua Leone, during the early morning hours of last Sunday, and two police officers and a captain of the Leone Substation, in a police vehicle were the targets.

According to family members, the officer was hit by a number of shotgun pellets and while the surgeons were able to remove some pellets from his body there are three more pellets that remain in his head.

The family member said Officer Loia initially had five pellets in his head and the surgeon was successful in removing two — leaving three more to remove that need special equipment unavailable on island.

Earlier this week Acting Commissioner of Public Safety Vaimaga Maiava at the cabinet meeting expressed his heartfelt gratitude for the great response by government leaders and the departments for the tremendous support shown to the injured Officer Loia and the other two officers who were in the vehicle.

Earlier this week the Lolo and Lemanu Administration put out an urgent call for the Office of Samoan Affairs as well as American Samoa’s top traditional leaders to mobilize all residents, especially village majors and village police, to work closely with the Department of Public Safety to bring peace and harmony to the territory.