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Man arrested after allegedly threatening to shoot someone

American Samoa District Court
reporters@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On March 25, 2024, a concerned tenant contacted the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) to report a man causing disturbance at a set of apartments in Tafuna. The suspect was threatening to shoot anyone if he didn't speak to the owner of the apartments.

Douglas Tuigamala was later apprehended and charged with the following:

Count 1 & 2: Public Peace Disturbance — a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to six (6) months, a fine of $500, or both; and,

Count 3: Assault in the Third Degree (As a C Misd.) — a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen (15) days, a fine of $300, or both.

The defendant’s bail was set at $3,000.

According to the affidavit, on March 25, at about 9:05 p.m, a woman reported a male individual yelling profanities and making threats outside of their apartment.

Police officers responded to the call and when they arrived at the scene met up with two individuals who briefed the officers on what happened.

The suspect was later identified as Douglas Tuigamala.

The individual who reported the disturbance explained that she was in her apartment when she heard Tuigamala shouting profanities. She stated that she was frightened when the suspect made a general statement saying that he will shoot anyone if he doesn’t talk to Talataina, the owner of the apartments. She was also concerned for children so she contacted the police for assistance.

Another witness, who also lives at the same set of apartments, stated this is not the first incident that occurred on the said date.

At around 7 p.m, the suspect came in front of the apartments and yelled profanities calling Talataina to come outside. It lasted a little while before he went back home. The second time he came back, the suspect slammed the door to his apartment.

The witness came outside and confronted the suspect and asked him why he slammed the door to his apartment whereas the suspect said he was looking for Talataina.

The witness said the suspect then put his right hand in his pocket and said he’s going to shoot someone if Talataina doesn’t come out of the house/ apartment. The witness was worried about his safety so he went back inside his apartment and then he heard the suspect banging on the other tenants’ front doors.

The police proceeded to locate the suspect at his apartment and upon arrival heard the suspect yelling “get the f_ out of my house, you can’t get the f_  in”. The suspect’s wife then opened the door for the officers to enter and apprehend Tuigamala.

Tuigamala was placed inside the police unit and transported to the TPS for further investigation.

Upon arrival at the station, the officers Mirandized the suspect. Halfway through reading his rights, the suspect said he understood them and refused to make a statement.

The suspect was then booked and transported to the Tafuna Correctional Facility to be confined and await the next available sitting of the District Court.

The defendant is identified as a 52-year-old citizen of Samoa.