Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On March 24, 2024, a store owner contacted the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) to report a male individual who allegedly refused to leave his store in Vailoatai.

Sopa Siagigi was apprehended later charged with the following:

Count 1: Trespass, a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to six (6) months, a fine of $500, or both, and

Count 2: 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 $1,000.

According to the affidavit, on March 24, at about 9:57 a.m, a store owner contacted TPS to report that an individual named Sopa Siagigi (later identified as the suspect) had been shopping at his store in Vailoatai and refused to leave.

Police officers responded to the call and upon arrival met up with the store owner (reporter /victim) and interviewed him. Mr Siagigi was not at the store when police arrived, according to the affidavit.

The store owner, in his interview with police, stated that a customer by the name of Sopa (Siagigi) who resides in Vailoa refused to leave his store after being told three times, and left the store only after pushing him away. But, the suspect came back later and threw rocks at him (victim) while he was standing outside his store.

However, the store owner did not recall which direction the rocks were thrown, and stated that the incident outside was caught on his store’s surveillance camera but the camera inside the store wasn’t working.

The victim explained that he had banned Siagigi from his store because he always stole from the store.

He told police that he had an agreement with Siagigi that he would forgive him and not file a report if he promised not to come back to his store, to which the suspect had agreed.

Upon reviewing the security footage, officers saw Siagigi picking something up from the ground and approaching the store. He then threw something while the victim’s back was facing him.

Officers also interviewed the victim’s son (witness).

According to the witness, he was with his father when Siagigi walked into the store. When his father saw Siagigi he told him several times to leave the store but the suspect refused. When the suspect was finally ready to leave, he pushed his father away and left the store but came back and threw something towards his father. He stated his father was unsure what was thrown at him.

Officers did not see Siagigi at the scene and asked bystanders in Vailoa if they knew where Siagigi lived, and they were able to direct the officers to the suspect’s residence.

Upon arrival at the suspect’s home they were greeted by a female individual. Officers asked if she had seen Sopa and she directed them to his room where he was sleeping.

Officers apprehended the suspect and upon patting Siagigi down, officers felt an object in his left pocket. When the officer reached inside the suspect’s pocket they discovered a clear glass pipe containing white burnt residue. The pipe was seized and  Siagigi was escorted to the police unit and transported to the TPS, where he was Mirandized.

Siagigi refused to make a statement.

The defendant was then booked at the TPS and transported to the Tafuna Correctional Facility to be confined until the next available sitting of the District Court.

The seized pipe was later given to the Vice and Narcotics Unit.

There was no mention in the report whether or not the substance in the pipe was an illegal substance.

The defendant is identified as a 44-year-old US National.