Son reports his father to police after alleged domestic disturbance

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On May 24, 2025, a male called the Fagatogo Police Station (FPS) to report an alleged domestic dispute and disturbance involving his father.

The suspect fled the scene but was later apprehended and charged with:

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

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

Count 3: Resisting Arrest, a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of $1,000, or both.

The defendant’s bail was set at $500.

(Samoa News has withheld the names of those involved to protect the identity of the minor involved in this case.)

According to the court affidavit, on May 24th, an individual contacted the FPS stating that his father was highly intoxicated and causing a disturbance at their residence.

Police officers responded to the call and were pointed to the house by two young men when they asked for its location. At the house, they met up with the suspect’s wife, who told them that the suspect had fled to the back of their house when he saw the police car enter the road to their house.

Officers immediately made their way to the back of the house to locate the suspect. However, their efforts were unsuccessful due to weather conditions at the time.

The officers made their way back to the house and conducted an interview with the suspect’s wife and his 15 year-old daughter.

According to the suspect’s wife’s written statement, her husband (suspect) came home from work around 6 a.m. and was already drunk. He came in and started yelling, and later left and was back at around 8:45 p.m. and started yelling profanities at the family again.

The suspect’s wife further stated that her 19-year-old son (later identified as the victim) jumped in to tell his father that he was being disrespectful. He also tried to stop his father’s rude behavior but was met with a slap to his face by the suspect.

The suspect then walked with a machete and cut off the wires that were connected to the light in the kitchen area. She stated that’s the reason why she stood up to try and stop the situation and contacted the police station for assistance.

She also informed the officers that the two young men who pointed out their house earlier were her sons. She explained that one had called the police and the other one was the victim.

The suspect’s minor daughter explained that the incident started when the suspect arrived home from work in the morning drunk. The suspect came into the house and started arguing with their grandma and expounded about everything good he has done.

Later, he left and came back home when it was dark, and then went inside the room and started throwing things around while yelling at the old lady.

Moreover, the minor stated that the suspect slapped her brother. He also continued to yell out profanities at the old lady while roaming around the house with a beer and accusing the old lady of treating him badly.

The officers advised the suspect’s wife that if the suspect showed up again, not to argue with him but to contact the FPS without him knowing.

At this time, an unknown man was observed walking towards the officers. The officers then asked the wife if that was her husband and she stated “yes”.

The officers proceeded to make contact with the suspect but while attempting to handcuff him he started to resist by forcefully moving around and tried to make his way to his wife. He confronted his wife and asked her “if this is what she wanted?”.

The suspect continued to resist arrest until the officers were able to detain him.

The suspect was later booked and transported for confinement at the Tafuna Correctional Facility to await the next available sitting of the District Court.

The suspect is identified as citizen of Samoa.