Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On August 28, 2025, the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) received a distress call from a minor reporting that his father had threatened his mother with a knife.

The suspect was arrested and charged with:

Count 1: Private Peace Disturbance (DV), a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen days, a fine of up to $300, or both imprisonment and fine; and,

Count 2: Assault in the Third Degree ( As a class C Misd.), a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen days, a fine of up to $300, or both.

The defendant's bail was set at $2,000.

According to the court affidavit, on Aug 28th, at about 10:31 a.m., TPS received a phone call from a minor (later identified as the reporter/ victim #1) regarding his father, who was allegedly causing a disturbance at their home in Iliili.

Police officers responded to the call and, upon arrival, they met up with victim #1, who was with his mother (later identified as victim #2). The officers spoke with the victims separately. They also informed the officers that the suspect was inside their apartment.

The officers called the suspect out, and he was immediately apprehended and transported to the TPS for further investigation.

According to the minor's statement, his father had left the house for about three days and returned on the day of the incident. When his father (suspect) got home, he started yelling out profanities in Samoan. He also grabbed a plastic bag of snacks and gave it to his friend, who had dropped him off at home.

Victim #1 stated that he went to his mother's workplace across from where they live and informed her about what happened. He and his mother came home and confronted his father for being gone for three days.

At this time, the suspect started shouting profanities in Samoan at his mother, and grabbed a knife and pointed it at victim #2, asking her, "What do you want?"

Victim #1 stated that “he and his mother were scared, and he grabbed the phone and called the police station for help.”

The officers also interviewed victim #2, who verbally confirmed what her son had told police. She added that when they went back home she told her husband off — about being gone for three days and coming back and causing trouble in their family. She said she tried to chase him away, but he kept shouting profanities in Samoan and later grabbed a knife and pointed it at her and asked her what she wanted in front of her son.

Victim #2 informed the officers that she doesn't feel safe because this is not the first time this has happened. Fortunately, her son called the police for help.

The suspect was Mirandized, whereas he understood and was willing to provide a statement and answer questions.

According to the suspect's statement, he explained that he came home from work and grabbed just three biscuits for his friend. Later, his oldest son went and told his mother about it, and she came home and started yelling at him. The suspect claimed that he didn't scream profanities or use a kitchen knife to threaten his wife. He alleged that "he doesn't know why his wife and son made up that story about him pointing a knife and yelling profanities.”

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

The defendant is identified as a 40-year-old citizen of Samoa.