Woman claims her husband put a gun to her head

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On December 16, 2024, a victim of domestic violence contacted the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) and alleged that her husband assaulted her and then pointed a gun to her head during an argument.

Miracle Toilolo was arrested and later 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;

Count 2: Assault in the Third Degree (DV), a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of $1,000, or both; and,

Count 3: False Imprisonment, 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 $1,500.

According to the court affidavit, on Dec. 16th, at about 12:26 a.m., the TPS dispatcher received a call from a female individual (later identified as the victim) stating that her husband Miracle Toilolo (suspect) physically assaulted her and later drew a gun, putting it to her head.

Police officers responded to the call and upon arrival at the scene, they met up with the victim and her sister at their residence. The victim briefed the officers on the current situation and she stated that the suspect had fled from the scene before they arrived.

The officers canvassed the area on foot and they later found the suspect sitting behind one of his neighbor’s house. He was handcuffed and later transported to the TPS.

The victim was interviewed and according to her statement, they were out drinking and when they arrived home they got into an argument. The altercation escalated when the suspect started slamming and throwing things around in their room.

The victim further stated that she laid on the bed facing the wall when the suspect hit her with their son’s paw patrol chair. At that point, she got up and started hitting him with the same chair, and he grabbed her by the neck and started choking her. As soon as she broke free from his grasp, she got ahold of her phone and called the police.

The victim also informed the officers that the suspect grabbed his gun from his bag, which he carries around with him all the time and put it to her head threatening her, asking, “If this is what you want?”.

Moreover, the victim explained that there was a point where she tried to leave the room but the suspect held onto the door knob, refusing to let her out.

The victim requested that she doesn’t want to see the suspect anywhere near her and her house again.

The victim sustained bruising on the right upper side of her arm. There were also visual marks and signs of strangulation around the victim’s neck. The victim was checked by the EMS at the station and later released.

The victim’s sister (witness) was also interviewed and according to her statement, they arrived home and she was upstairs of their house. She stated that “she heard the suspect yelling and banging on multiple things and then later heard her sister screaming her name for help.”

The suspect was Mirandized at the TPS to which he understood and agreed to make a verbal statement.

According to the suspect, they were out for a celebration, drinking, and nothing happened. However, when they arrived home, they started arguing but he claimed he did not remember the cause of their argument. He then threw his son’s chair at the victim and left the room.

However, when he went back into the room, the victim started hitting his head 3 times and punched him in the face and head multiple times while he just stood there doing nothing. He further stated that he grabbed the victim by the chin and when he released her, he reached into his small bag and grabbed his gun and pointed it to her chest. He then asked her “If this is what she wanted?”.

The suspect also admitted that he carries his small bag and gun with him at all times.

The affidavit also revealed that the gun that the suspect used to threaten the victim was later discovered to be a BB Gun Glock 17 (unloaded) version. The gun could easily be mistaken for a real Glock 17 that police officers carry as a duty gun.

The suspect was booked and transported to the Tafuna Correctional Facility to be confined for 48 hours awaiting the next available sitting of the District Court.

The defendant is identified as a 30-year-old U.S National.