Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On June 21, 2024 at about 7:36pm, the Fagatogo Police Central Station (FPS) received a call from a woman whose brother had allegedly been assaulted by a male individual identified as Olo Setu Muliau.

The defendant was charged with one count of Assault in the Third Degree — a class A misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment for up to one (1) year, a fine of $1000, or both.

Bail for the defendant was set at $1000.

When police officers arrived in Utusia, they met with the reporter and victim who explained the situation and presented photos of the victim’s injuries. It allegedly revealed that the injuries included scratches on his back, arms, knees, and a swollen left eye.

The victim stated, “he was outside walking around back and forth in front of his house when he saw the suspect sitting behind the truck drinking alcohol.” The victim said that the suspect said “to stop trying to act like a tough guy” and that was followed with a punch to the victim’s left eye.

The victim explained that he couldn’t see anything which caused him to fall on the ground. It was then that the suspect “continued to punch him around his head and body before his sister came to stop him.”

Officers proceeded towards the suspect and “observed him consuming alcohol”. As officers apprehended the suspect and placed him in handcuffs, they detected a strong odor of alcohol emitting from his breath and body.

The suspect was placed in the police unit and transported to the FPS for further investigation.

The victim was transported to the hospital to receive treatment for his injuries.

Police officers noted that the doctor who treated the victim said that he was hit with an object but the victim could not recall what it was.

At about 9:40pm, the suspect was Mirandized.

According to the suspect’s statement, “he was drinking beer behind the truck while also watching the victim walk outside.”

The suspect explained that he did not like how the victim used to speak to his father in a disrespectful manner when the victim was younger. It was then that the suspect “grabbed a can of [beer] and punched the victim in the eye.” When the suspect saw that the victim was crawling on the ground, “he threw the can at the victim’s head and continued punching him around the head and body” as the victim pleaded for his life.

The suspect was transported to the Tafuna Correctional Facility to be confined until the next sitting at District Court.

The suspect is identified as a 30-year-old US National.