Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On May 30, 2023, the Tafuna Police Substation received a call from Talolo Petelo, who has been identified as the victim in an alleged incident where he and his brother, Tanielu Tuli got into a verbal altercation the previous night and his brother destroyed 3 vehicles by shattering the windows. 

Officers that responded to the incident in Kokoland arrived at the scene on the same day in the morning, and met with the victim. The victim stated that his brother was walking around in front of the TSM store in Tafuna, and the responding officers attempted to canvass the area but did not succeed in locating the suspect. 

According to Petelo’s verbal statement, the previous night he was drinking with some of his friends and brought them over to his house and he told his brother Tuli about it. Tuli was not happy about Petelo bringing his friends over and turned around and shattered the windows of three vehicles with an unknown object. 

The victim states he then yelled at his brother, and the brother responded by yelling back with profanities and left the house. When the brother returned to the house, the victim told him that he is not allowed back and started another verbal altercation while yelling profanities, and the victim states that he was worried because Tuli might physically assault him. 

Later that evening, the TPS received a call from Petelo stating that his brother had returned home and was yelling profanities and arguing with him. Upon arrival the responding officers met with Petelo, who was inside the house when they arrived, and he identified his brother Tuli as the suspect. Officers proceeded to place the suspect in handcuffs and transported him to TPS for further investigation. 

Upon arrival at the police station, Tuli was Mirandized and refused to waive them.

Tuli was booked and transported to Tafuna Correctional Facility and had his initial court appearance on Friday, June 2, 2023 where he was charged with one count of private peace disturbance. Bail is set at $300.