Police called after son allegedly starts family disturbance

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On January 26, 2025, a mother contacted the Fagatogo Police Station (FPS) to report that her son was allegedly causing a disturbance at their home.

The suspect 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; and

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.

The defendant’s bail was set at $5,000.

According to the court affidavit, on Jan. 26th, at about 7:54 p.m., a female individual (later identified as the reporter) called the FPS claiming Clinten Tofaeono (later identified as the suspect) was causing a disturbance at their residence.

Upon receiving the report, police officers proceeded to serve the call. When the officers arrived at the scene at about 8:35 p.m., they observed a male at the back of the house, who went into the house and asked a female to come outside. The female was later identified as the reporter and the officers conducted an interview with her.

According to the reporter, everything was normal this morning. She stated that her husband and son (suspect) were cooking and they were joking around. However, all of a sudden the suspect came inside the house and threw the table on the floor and slammed the door. She asked him to stop but he looked at her and yelled profanities and told her it’s none of her business. The victim continued that they tried to calm the suspect down but he kept getting louder and louder.

The reporter continued that when her brother overheard what was happening, he came and talked to the suspect but the suspect was still mad. The suspect then grabbed the machete and tried to attack her brother but fortunately he was stopped before he could get to her brother.

The suspect then went and sat behind the house but when the police unit pulled into their home, he ran away.

The officers returned to the station and on their way, they received a call informing them that the suspect was back at the residence and continuing to cause a disturbance. The officers returned to the scene, and found the suspect hiding in his room.

The officers apprehended him and transported him to the FPS for further investigation.

Upon arrival at the FPS, the suspect was Mirandized and agreed to provide a written statement.

According to the suspect, “we were doing the umu this morning and his dad scolded him and he got mad because his back and head was hurting.” He then went in front of the house and started cursing, and his uncle beat him up. The suspect continued that he “got even more mad and walked inside and flipped the table and slammed the door.” He then grabbed a machete and walked outside of the house.

No machete was found at the scene.

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