Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On August 24, 2025, a man called the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) and requested assistance regarding a suspect who was allegedly intoxicated and causing a disturbance in Fagaima.

The suspect was apprehended and charged with:

Count 1: Public Peace Disturbance (DV), a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to six months, a fine of up to $500, or both imprisonment and fine;

Count 2: Assault in the Third Degree, a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of $1,000, or both; and,

Count 3: Resisting Arrest, a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of $1,000, or both.

The defendant’s bail was set at $2,000.

According to the court affidavit, on Aug. 24th, at around 7:15 p.m., a man (the reporter) contacted the TPS, reporting that a man (the suspect) was allegedly causing disturbances and slamming objects around inside his home in Fagaima.

Police officers were dispatched to the call, and upon arrival at the scene, they made contact with a man (later identified as the suspect’s father).

According to the suspect’s father, his son, Henry Talia (suspect), was intoxicated and had fallen asleep inside the house. However, they later heard him (suspect) banging and slamming objects around the house.

The officers approached Henry inside the house, where he immediately stood up with a pipe in his hand and threatened the officers. The officers attempted to engage the suspect, but he told the officers, “Don’t come near me”, or he will beat them with the pipe.

The suspect’s mother intervened and instructed Henry to stop, but he refused to listen. His mother then seized the pipe from the suspect.

As the officers approached the suspect again, he swung his fist at one of the responding officers but missed. The officers immediately subdued the suspect inside ]the house, and during his apprehension, the suspect resisted by attempting to free himself and yanking the handcuffs off himself. In the struggle, the suspect struck another officer in the face with his left fist. The suspect continued to make unreasonable noises while being handcuffed, which alarmed the neighbors.

The suspect had a strong odor of alcohol emitting from his breath and person. The suspect was placed inside the police vehicle, where he was transported to the TPS for the booking process.

The reporter was also interviewed, and he stated that he went back to the taxi stand to use the bathroom and he saw the suspect standing at the back with baseball bat and a beer can. Mr. Talia began shouting profanities in Samoan at him and accused all the taxi drivers of being rude.

The reporter further stated that he told the suspect to go home and get some rest, knowing that the suspect lives right behind the taxi stand. However, the suspect threw rocks at his (reporter’s) house, which is also located behind the taxi stand. After stoning his house, the suspect went home.

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

The defendant is identified as a 25-year-old U.S. national.