Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On January 5, 2025, a father contacted the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) to report that his son allegedly assaulted his other son and then threatened to cut him into pieces.

The suspect was later arrested and charged with:

Count 1: Private Peace Disturbance (DV), a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to 15 days, a fine of $300, but not less than $150, or both imprisonment and fine; and,

Count 2: Assault in the Third Degree (DV), a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of $1,000, or both.

The defendant’s bail was set at $1,000.

According to the court affidavit, on Jan. 5th, at about 6:12 p.m., TPS received a call from a male (later identified as the reporter/ victim #2) regarding his son Peter Fa’amoe (later identified as the suspect) for disturbing the peace in their home.

Authorities proceeded to the call and upon arrival at the scene at about 6:22 p.m., they met up with the reporter who briefed them regarding the matter.

While interviewing the reporter, the officers could hear the suspect calling out his family’s names and shouting profanities. The officers immediately apprehended the suspect and placed him inside the police unit while the other officers interviewed the victims and witnesses about the alleged incident.

The suspect was transported to the TPS for further investigation.

Another victim (#1) was also interviewed, and he stated that he was eating in the kitchen when his little brother (suspect) kept teasing him for just eating and not doing any chores everyday. He replied that “it was none of his business”.

At this point, the suspect started shouting profanities in Samoan at him while their parents were listening. He then walked towards the suspect and tried to stop him from swearing, whereas the suspect punched him in the face. His father and one of his cousins jumped in, and a scuffle with the suspect happened as they tried to stop him from shouting profanities.

At this time, the suspect threatened him by telling him that he would kill him. The suspect walked outside of the house and grabbed a kitchen knife outside the balcony and threw it at him. The suspect then grabbed a machete and pointed it at him and his father and threatened to cut them into pieces.

Victim #2 also made a statement, echoing what his son, victim #1, had told police, including that the suspect later grabbed a machete and pointed it at both of them and threatened that he would cut them into pieces.

The father also informed the officers that this is not the first time that the suspect had done this and that the suspect was a troublemaker in their family.

The suspect was Mirandized and agreed to make a statement about the said matter.

According to the suspect, he was upset because his older brother (victim #1) just ate and did not do any chores everyday. He told police that he shouted profanities at victim #1 and later punched him in the face. Furthermore, he walked outside of the house and grabbed a kitchen knife and threw it his older brother. He acknowledged  that he later grabbed a machete and pointed it at his father and brother and threatened to cut them into pieces.

Peter Fa’amoe was booked and confined at the Tafuna Correctional Facility awaiting the next available sitting of the District Court.

The defendant is identified as a 25-year-old U.S National.