Man arrested for alleged disturbance in local store

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On September 30, 2025, an individual called the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) and reported a suspect who was allegedly causing a disturbance inside a store.

The suspect was later arrested and charged with Count 1: Public Peace Disturbance, a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to six months, a fine not to exceed $500, or both imprisonment and fine.

The defendant’s bail was set at $500.

According to the court affidavit, on Sept. 30th, at approximately 12:00 p.m., an individual (later identified as the reporter) contacted the TPS in need of assistance regarding an unknown individual (later identified as the suspect) who was causing a disturbance at the PNF store in Iliili.

Police officers proceeded to the call and, upon arrival at the PNF Store, they observed the suspect fleeing the scene. One of the responding officers immediately pursued the suspect on foot, where he was later apprehended. The suspect was identified as Dennis Elisara.

After apprehending Elisara, the officers met up with another witness who stated that she was serving her customers when the suspect walked into the store and started causing trouble with random customers. The suspect was yelling out profanities in Samoan and asking if anyone at the store was from the village of Nu’uuli,  and challenging them to a fight.

The suspect spilled his beer on the floor and began sliding around, making a mess inside the store. She contacted the LPS to have Elisara removed from the store.

Following the investigation, the suspect was transported to the TPS and 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 29-year-old U.S national.