Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On June 25, 2026, a woman called the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) to report an alleged assault and disturbance in the village of Petesa by two males, one who was a juvenile.

One of the suspects, PJ Niue, was later charged with:

Count 1: Public Peace Disturbance, a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to six months, a fine of not more than $500, or both imprisonment and fine; and,

Count 2 & 3: Assault in the Third Degree, a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine not to exceed $1,000, or both.

The defendant was held without bail.

The juvenile involved in the case is being prosecuted separately through the juvenile justice system.

According to the court affidavit, the incident allegedly occurred at approximately 4:10 p.m., when police received a report that two males were causing a disturbance and throwing rocks at a residence in Petesa.

Responding officers arrived at the scene at approximately 4:17 p.m., where they met with the caller, who reported witnessing the entire incident.

According to the witness, she was inside her residence when she heard loud yelling and profanities coming from outside. When she stepped outdoors, she allegedly saw the two suspects physically assaulting a man near the roadway.

The witness stated she yelled at the pair to stop as the victim cried out for someone to call police before running towards his residence in an attempt to escape.

She reported that both suspects chased after him while carrying rocks in their hands.

Moments later, the witness heard loud impacts coming from the victim's residence and observed the two suspects throwing rocks at the house before officers arrived.

Police quickly located both suspects nearby. They were identified by the witness at the scene and taken into custody without further incident.

While detaining the suspects, officers reported detecting a strong odor of alcohol coming from both individuals and believed they had been drinking. Investigators proceeded to the alleged victims’ residence to conduct interviews.

The primary victim told officers he had been walking to a nearby store when he noticed three males following him. He believed they appeared to be intoxicated.

According to his statement, one of the suspects suddenly punched him from behind, causing him to fall, while the second suspect joined in the attack. Fearing for his safety, the victim ran towards his home while yelling for his mother to contact police.

The victim stated that he intentionally avoided fighting back because he is currently on probation and did not want to violate the conditions of his probation.

He further alleged that both suspects continued pursuing him onto his family's property, where one of them threw rocks at the residence, frightening family members who were inside the home.

Investigators also interviewed another victim, who stated she was inside the residence when she heard someone yelling for the assault to stop. She immediately ran outside and allegedly saw the two suspects attacking the first victim.

According to her statement, she attempted to intervene by separating the men. However, one of the suspects allegedly struck her on the side of the head.

She told police that was when she grabbed a stick from the ground and struck the suspect in an effort to defend herself and the other victim. She alleged that the suspect then punched her a second time in the same area before she was able to pull the first victim inside the residence.

Police also interviewed the victim's mother, who stated she witnessed the suspects following her son before asking him for a cigarette.

She reported seeing both suspects begin punching her son in the roadway despite her repeated pleas for them to stop. Her son eventually escaped and ran towards the family's home while the suspects continued chasing him.

The woman further stated that once the suspects reached the property, they began throwing rocks at the residence. One of the rocks allegedly came close to striking her as she stood outside.

After completing interviews at the scene, officers transported the two suspects to the TPS for processing, while two of the victims were also transported to the station, where emergency medical personnel were requested to evaluate their injuries.

At the station, Niue was Mirandized where he acknowledged understanding his rights but declined to answer questions or provide a statement.

The juvenile suspect was later Mirandized in the presence of his mother. Police stated that he also acknowledged understanding his rights but likewise refused to make a statement.

Following processing, the juvenile was transported to the Juvenile Detention Center, while the adult suspect was booked and confined at the Tafuna Correctional Facility pending his initial court appearance.

The case remains before the court.

The affidavit was filed in the District Court on June 26, 2026.

As with all criminal cases, the allegations outlined in court filings remain accusations at this stage, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

[Editor’s Note: An affidavit is a written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation for use as evidence in court. It is not a court decision.]