Man threatens his family, chokes his mother

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On January 17, 2025, a female called the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) and reported that her brother allegedly assaulted their 63-year-old mother with a broom and tried to strangle her. The suspect also threatened to kill his family.

He was apprehended immediately and later charged with:

Count 1 & 2: Assault in the Third Degree (DV), a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of $1,000.00, or both imprisonment and fine; and,

Count 3: Private Peace Disturbance (DV), a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen days, a fine of $300.00 but not less than $150.00, or both imprisonment and fine.

The defendant’s bail was set at $500.00.

According to the court affidavit, on Jan. 17th, at about 5:48 p.m., a female contacted the TPS and reported her brother (later identified as the suspect) who allegedly assaulted their mother.

Police officers responded to the said call and upon arrival at the scene, they observed no one in the house, and called out if there was anyone in the house and an unknown female (later identified as the reporter) came out and informed them that she was the one who called.

She directed the officers inside the house and stated that her brother (suspect) was inside. The officers apprehended the suspect who was sitting next to the victim’s room and placed him inside the police unit.

The officers went back to the house and checked on the victim who stated she was okay and refused to proceed to EMS for medical treatment.

Both the reporter and victim were interviewed at the scene where they provided written statements.

The suspect, later identified as Logoitino Amituana’i was transported to the TPS for booking process.

According to the reporter, “her brother (suspect) was doing this long enough, yelling at her mother, but she didn’t hear him.”

She stated that her mother (victim) called her to massage her abdomen, at the time they were eating with the suspect at the table.

The suspect proceeded to yell to bring a knife to take out everything from her mother’s abdomen. The suspect yelled “Keke mai ou fela i ou lake vage mai fafo polo ou make”.(“What are you looking at, I’m going to come and take out your eyeballs?”).

The suspect also threatened to destroy their home and kill them all.

The victim then grabbed a Samoan broom (salu tu) with a wooden handle from her room, but the suspect took it from her, and hit the victim with the bristle end twice and then he tried to choke her.

The reporter stated that luckily she was there to stop him or her mother would have otherwise died because of the suspect’s behavior.

The victim was also interviewed where she explained that she had just finished taking her pills and a massage by her daughter. Her 7-year-old granddaughter (victim #2) came crying and said that the suspect slapped her. She also heard the suspect saying in Samoan “What are you looking at? I will come and take out your eyeballs”.

The victim, who is bedridden, stated that she asked the suspect to stop but he yelled Samoan profanities and said he was going to destroy their home and kill them all.

Moreover, the victim stated she grabbed a Samoan broom but the suspect took it and hit her twice in the face and then tried to choke her. The victim informed officers she wanted to press charges against the suspect and he is not allowed to come near her house anymore.

Upon arrival at the station, the suspect was Mirandized and he agreed to make a statement.

According to the suspect, he was mad that the kids were looking at him but he didn’t do anything. He also stated that he was also mad at his mother for not buying him a cell phone so he can contact his family off island.

He further stated that he wanted to file a complaint to remove himself from their family because he doesn’t want to go back there anymore.

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

The defendant is identified as a 32-year-old U.S National.