Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On March 7, 2024, the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) received a call from the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) regarding an injured male individual who had been allegedly assaulted in Faleniu.

Aitu Tauai was apprehended and charged with the following charges:

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

Count 2: Assault in the Second Degree, a class D felony punishable by imprisonment of not more than five years, a fine of not more than $5,000, or both.

The defendant’s bail was set at $5,000.

According to the affidavit, on March 7th, at about 6:28 p.m, EMS personnel contacted the TPS that they had received a phone call of an injured male individual who had been assaulted in Faleniu.

Police officers responded to the scene in Faleniu where they made initial contact with a group of men. The men directed the officers to the residence of a male believed to be involved in this case. When the officers arrived, the victim was not present at the scene.

However, they came across an unknown old man — later identified as Aitu Tauai, the defendant —in front of his house. Officers questioned Tauai if he had any knowledge of what had occurred, whereas he replied that he only intervened when he saw two male individuals fighting with the “aumaga” (young men of the village council) during the village’s curfew.

While police officers interviewed the suspect, they heard the EMS unit responding to Api o le Faga road nearby the suspect’s house. Village members signaled to the officers that the EMS was treating the victim, who was later identified as Fotuali’i Sunia. Officers confirmed that the victim was being treated by EMS.

The victim told officers when they spoke to him that an unknown male had struck his head and backside with a crowbar.

One of the officers interviewed bystanders and located a witness who identified Mr. Tauai, as the assailant.

The witness stated he was present at the scene when the defendant (Tauai) armed with a crowbar struck the victim’s head. The witness informed the officer that Tauai continued to strike the victim on his body and also stated that the incident began when the victim fought with other men from their village of Faleniu.

The police officer then approached the defendant, Tauai, a second time and asked if he had intervened to stop the fight. Tauai replied that he struck the victim with a crowbar because the victim was trying to punch his relative.

Tauai was apprehended and transported to TPS for further investigation.

The defendant was Mirandized and refused to make a statement.

He was transported to the Tafuna Correctional Facility for confinement.

The victim was treated and released from the LBJ Hospital. He sustained a laceration wound on his head and was treated with three stitches. He was also observed with swollen bruises on his backside.

The defendant is identified as a 63-year-old U.S National.