Woman calls for police assistance in Fagaalu

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On August 3, 2025, a woman contacted the Fagatogo Police Station (FPS) requesting assistance regarding two men who allegedly assaulted her husband.

One of the suspects was apprehended and later charged with:

Count 1: Public Peace Disturbance, a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to six months, a fine of $500, or both imprisonment and fine; and,

Count 2 & 3: Assault in the Third Degree, 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 $1,000.

Court records revealed that on August 3, 2025, around midnight, patrol officers conducting their routine patrol received a call from FPS regarding a woman (later identified as the reporter) requesting assistance in Fagaalu.

The reporter alleged that their neighbors approached them with machetes.

Patrol officers responded to the said call and, upon arrival at the scene, they observed multiple people standing next to the road where two women were holding two men back. The officers approached the group of people and asked them what had happened.

A woman approached the officers and identified herself as the reporter and the victim’s wife. She briefed the officers regarding what had happened.

According to the reporter, at around midnight, her husband (later identified as the victim) went to escort one of his friends home. While escorting his friend, they came across two men who were drinking beer, and they called out and yelled profanities at the victim.

After dropping off his friend, the victim came back and approached the two men and advised them about swearing at people passing by. The reporter claimed that at this time, she was sitting in front of their home, and she saw the two suspects.

The victim then returned home and told her what happened, and at that time they saw the suspects picking up rocks and yelling out profanities. The reporter stated that she wasn’t sure if they were yelling at them or not. She told the victim to turn off the lights, and that’s when the suspects started throwing rocks at their home.

Furthermore, the reporter explained that they immediately went to confront the suspects, but one of the suspects (later identified as Sdell Lemalie) threw a beer can at her husband and hit him on the hand.

The victim also stated that she attempted to stop Lemalie, but he pushed her down, causing her to injure her knee. At the same time, Lemalie grabbed a rock and threw it at her husband, but fortunately, she was able to cover him.

The reporter claimed that she “had minor injuries to her hand and her husband sustained a minor head injury”.

The neighbors, who heard the commotion, rushed to break up the fight, allowing her to call the police for help.

After the reporter’s interview, the officers proceeded to Lemalie’s residence. Upon approaching the said residence, a man, in his late 50s, who later identified himself as Lemalie’s uncle told the officers that the suspect is his nephew and that he doesn’t know anything about what happened.

The suspect’s uncle was asked if he could persuade the suspect to come out, and he cooperated by escorting Lemalie out of the house. Lemalie seemed drunk and had a minor scratch on his left knee. He was escorted to the police unit, and the reporter confirmed the identity of the suspect.

Upon securing Lemalie, authorities detected a strong odor of alcohol emitting from his breath. He was later booked and confined at the Tafuna Correctional Facility to await the next available sitting of the District Court.

The defendant is identified as a 23-year-old U.S National.