Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On July 21, 2026, a grandfather called the Fagatogo Central Police Station (FPS) and reported that his granddaughter was allegedly causing a disturbance at his home in Fatu ma Futi.

The suspect was later arrested and charged with:

Count 1: Underage Consumption of Alcohol, a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to six months, a fine of not more than $500, or both imprisonment and fine; and,

Count 2: Resisting Arrest, a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine not to exceed $1,000, or both.
The defendant’s bail was set at $500.

According to the court affidavit, the incident occurred at approximately 10:37 p.m., when police received a report regarding an intoxicated family member who was reportedly causing a disturbance at a residence in Fatu ma Futi.

Police officers responded to the call and as officers approached the home, they reportedly heard shouting coming from the area. According to the report, officers were directed toward the back of the residence, where they observed an elderly woman holding the hands of a younger woman in an apparent attempt to calm her down.

Police identified the 20-year old woman as Shany Naseri.

The police report stated that Naseri was instructed not to return to the residence.

During the confrontation, she (suspect) allegedly made threatening statements in Samoan toward the elderly male at the residence. The suspect allegedly stated, “ke fasia a oe e oki,” which was translated in the report as meaning, “once I beat you up you will die.”

She also allegedly made a threat toward police officers. According to the report, she stated in Samoan, “kofo iai le leoleo ae pa'i mai ouke sogia le sapelu,” which was translated as meaning that if a police officer touched her, she would slash the officer with a machete.
When officers attempted to apprehend the suspect, police said she resisted. Naseri then threw her right hand backward and struck one of the responding officers in the forehead.

Police said officers had to use force to restrain the suspect and place her in handcuffs. The report also stated that she continued resisting by attempting to pull her arms away while officers were trying to secure the handcuffs.

After the suspect was arrested, police officers escorted her to a police vehicle and transported her to the FPS for processing.

During the transport, police reportedly detected a strong odor of alcohol coming from Naseri’s breath.

The suspect arrived at the FPS at approximately 10:59 p.m. Police said that during the booking process, the suspect refused to provide her identifying information.

An officer, who had previously dealt with Naseri in another case, was able to provide information identifying her as being 20 years old.

Since Naseri was 20, police determined that she was under the legal drinking age. She was subsequently booked and transported to the Tafuna Correctional Facility, where she was held pending the next sitting of the District Court.

Following her transport to the correctional facility, officers returned to the Fatu ma Futi residence to obtain statements from witnesses regarding the incident.

According to police, a witness who was present during the altercation provided a written statement describing Naseri as being intoxicated and allegedly yelling and using profanity at family members.

The witness reportedly stated that Naseri had also threatened to burn down the family home. The witness further alleged that the suspect had directed profanity at another family member and that similar behavior had occurred on multiple previous occasions.

Police later interviewed the individual who initially reported the disturbance. According to the police report, the reporter stated that Naseri appeared to be heavily intoxicated and repeatedly swore at him. He said he contacted police because he wanted assistance in removing her from the residence.

The allegations described in the police report include the alleged threats, resisting during the arrest, striking a police officer, and underage drinking.

The defendant is identified as a U.S national.

The affidavit was filed in the District Court on July 22, 2026.

As with all criminal cases, the allegations outlined in court filings remain accusations at this stage, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

[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.]