Officers respond to PPD call in Pava‘ia‘i

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On the evening of December 22, 2025, a domestic disturbance involving threats with a machete was reported at a residence in the village of Pava‘ia‘i.

The suspect was charged with a single count of Private Peace Disturbance - a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen days, a fine of $300 but not less than $150, or both.

No bail is listed.

According to the affidavit filed in District Court on Dec. 30th, officers received a call from a distressed woman who reported that her husband had threatened her with a machete inside their home. Officers immediately responded to the scene, arriving at the residence about ten minutes later.

Upon arrival, they found the husband was no longer present, having fled the area prior to their arrival. Instead, officers were met by the victim, who approached them from a neighboring house where she had taken refuge. Visibly shaken, she recounted the events that led her to seek police assistance.

According to the victim, her husband had been asleep earlier that evening. Believing he would not wake, she left their home briefly to visit a nearby residence where she was braiding the hair of a neighbor’s young daughter. While she was inside the neighboring house, she was startled by loud banging on the door. Moments later, she realized it was her husband, who had awakened and followed her.

She told officers that he began shouting angrily, demanding that she come outside. His words were aggressive and profane, drawing fear from those inside the neighboring home. Feeling intimidated and wanting to avoid escalating the situation, the victim stepped outside and began walking back towards her residence.

As she did so, her husband continued yelling at her and made a direct threat, stating that he would cut her with a machete. The victim said this threat deeply frightened her, as she knew a machete was kept inside their home.

When officers asked what had caused her husband’s anger, the victim explained that he accused her of leaving the house without informing him. She stated that he believed she should notify him anytime she went anywhere, even briefly. The argument, she said, stemmed from his belief that she had disrespected him by leaving while he was asleep.

After returning inside the residence, the victim reported hearing a scraping noise coming from another part of the house. Looking through a small hole in the wall toward the area where the machete was usually stored, she saw her husband holding it as he moved toward the room where she was located.

Fearing for her life, the victim immediately fled the house and ran back to the neighboring residence. From there, she contacted the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) and requested police assistance.

Officers spoke with a witness who had been present in the neighboring home at the time of the incident, who confirmed hearing loud banging on the door while the victim was braiding her hair. She stated that she heard the husband shouting, demanding that his wife come outside. The witness also recalled hearing him use profane language during the confrontation.

However, after the victim left the neighboring house and returned toward her own residence, the witness said she did not observe what occurred next. She remained inside and did not see the husband retrieve the machete, though she confirmed that the confrontation outside the home was loud and hostile.

The victim told officers that she was afraid her husband might return later that night while she was asleep or unaware and cause her physical harm. She expressed serious concerns for her safety and stated that the threat with the machete made her believe he was capable of carrying out violence against her.

A search of the immediate vicinity did not locate the husband. Officers noted that no physical injuries were observed on the victim at the time of contact; however, her emotional distress was evident.

Before departing the scene, officers requested that the victim provide identifying information about her husband to assist in locating him. The victim complied and efforts to locate the suspect were ongoing following the initial report.

The suspect is identified as a 54-year-old citizen of Tonga.

[Editor’s Note: An affidavit is a written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation for use as evidence in court. It is not a court decision. Under local law, defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty by the court. ra]