Police report says that man walked into DPS central station with bleeding arm

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On February 28, 2025, police officers responded to a victim who walked into the Fagatogo Police Station (FPS) and reported that he was allegedly assaulted and stabbed by a man named Paea Fifita.

The suspect was later arrested and charged with:

Count 1: Assault in the Second Degree (DV), a class D felony punishable by imprisonment not to exceed five years, a fine of not more than $5,000, but not less than $150, or both imprisonment and fine; and,

Count 2: Private Peace Disturbance (DV), a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment not to exceed fifteen days, a fine of not more than $300 but not less than $150, or both.

The defendant’s bail was set at $10,000.

According to the court affidavit, on Feb. 28th, at about 11:31 p.m., traffic officers approaching Leloaloa received a call from their watch commander to return to the station regarding a walk-in case.

Upon arrival at the FPS, police officers observed an unidentified male individual (later identified as the victim) holding his right arm. The victim’s arm was actively bleeding from multiple different areas while being treated by EMS physicians in front of the station’s parking lot.

The officers were unable to get an explanation out of the victim at the time due to the victim receiving medical treatment and also being in a lot of pain.

The victim was transported to the LBJ Hospital while the officers canvassed the area that the watch commander stated the victim pointed out, which was behind the Post Office parking lot.

The watch commander added that the suspect in this case was a former inmate and had several past incidents requiring law enforcement intervention.

Despite the officers’ attempts to locate the suspect, their efforts were unsuccessful at the time.

The officers visited the victim at the LBJ where the victim still refused to start answering questions and insisted on doing it later. The victim was later identified as Gaupule Fulu.

The officers were able to obtain a name from the victim, of someone who witnessed the assault — the man who lives with both the victim and suspect in the same house.

The officers assessed the victim’s injuries and observed multiple scratches, abrasions, and puncture wounds on both of the victim’s arms but mainly on the right arm. The lacerations appeared to be in some instances severe.

On March 1, 2025 at around 6:55 p.m., police officers interviewed the witness as to what had happened.

According to the witness, the suspect and victim both live with him in the same house and that this is not a new thing. The witness stated that there were numerous other incidents in which the suspect had assaulted him as well, but out of his good heart he would forgive the suspect.

He explained that on the date in question, he came home and the suspect and the victim were arguing over useless matters. He attempted to de-escalate the situation in which the victim complied but not the suspect.

Following this, the witness claimed that the suspect got louder and more aggressive, shouting and yelling profanities in Samoan at the victim. Despite the suspect’s chaotic outburst, the victim kept apologizing. The witness said that the suspect then stood up with a silver metallic cross/ crucifix he was holding and repeatedly stabbed the victim numerous times on the shoulders and arms resulting in injuries.

The witness explained that both the victim and suspect were at his house and when the tension died down he feared that the suspect’s behavior would never end.

On Mar. 1st, the suspect was apprehended and transported down to the station where he was Mirandized and refused to make a statement.

The victim was also interviewed on the same date, where he stated similar details of what the witness had stated, adding that he did his best to pull away from the suspect. However, the suspect pursued him by continuously stabbing and hitting him with the metal cross’ sharp edges even when he was hiding behind the witness.

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

When Fulu was released, he returned to the station with the silver cross (about 31 cm) that was used by the suspect to assault him.

The defendant is identified as a 24-year-old U.S National.