Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On September 8, 2024, a security guard, who was also the victim, contacted the Fagatogo Police Station to report an alleged assault by two males while he was working.

The two suspects were arrested and both were charged with:

Count 1: Assault in the Third Degree, a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of $1,000, or both.

Bail for both defendants was set at $3,000 each.

According to the affidavit, on Sept. 8th, at around 2:30 a.m., a security guard (identified as the victim) contacted the police headquarters claiming that he was assaulted by two men at his workplace in Onesosopo.

Police officers responded to the call and located the victim inside the gated area of his workplace at Onesosopo. The victim briefed the officers regarding the incident.

The victim verbally stated that he went to inspect the area that he normally secures at Onesosopo and saw two men collecting and eating coconuts. He asked the men if they were ok and one of them replied, “yes”. He told them “okay, and that he was glad they’re ok”.

However, as he was walking away he heard the other male (identified as Sappa Santana) say that “no! He’s not okay”. The victim asked Santana why he was not okay and the male asked him why he (victim) chased away his younger cousins that were there three weeks ago? He stated he told the man that he chased them away because they were in the company area.

The victim claimed that the suspect (Santana) then walked towards him and punched him with a closed fist. He said he also saw the other male (identified as Timaio Gagau) walk to the other side of him and punched him on the back of his head. The victim stated that he bent down and tried to cover himself from both suspects.

He continued that he quickly stood up and felt something hard hit him again on the other side of his head and splashed on his face. He explained that he fell down together with the suspects whereas one of the suspects locked his neck with his hands from the back and choked him with both hands.

The victim stated he screamed for help where he felt the suspect’s fingers loosen in front of his mouth. He said that he bit the suspect’s fingers to grasp for air and survive. He said he felt that he was getting beaten up by both males and then they ran away. He was not able to see where they ran.

At that time, he walked over to the container where he would usually rest and informed his wife (who was with him at work) about what happened and contacted the police station for help.

The affidavit does not state when or where the suspects were located, or arrested but notes that during separate interviews of both suspects, they admitted that they were the ones who beat up the victim at the scene. The workplace is not identified other than being located in Onesosopo.

The first defendant is identified as Timaio Gagau, who is 41 years-old, and the second defendant is identified as Santana Sappa, who is 39 years-old.