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Man charged for allegedly using knife in a fight

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Victim allegedly challenged the defendant to a ‘fist fight’
reporters@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On June 15, 2024 at around 1:41am, a woman contacted the Fagatogo Police Station (FPS) requesting assistance regarding a fight between two male individuals resulting in an alleged stabbing with a carving knife.

According to the affidavit, the two men involved were revealed as Alema Leleiga and Lupe Faalevao.

The affidavit says that when police officers arrived at the scene, they were approached by a woman who revealed herself as the reporter of the incident. The woman alleged that Leleiga cut Faalevao’s arm using a cutting blade (knife) and Faalevao was taken to his home by his brother to seek treatment.

Officers immediately proceeded to Faalevao’s home to inquire about the severity of his injury. As the officers approached Faalevao’s home, two men from the village informed the officers that Faalevao had been taken to the hospital (LBJ) for his injury.

Police officers proceeded to look for Leleiga at his house. As they approached Leleiga’s home, they observed villagers standing outside of the guest house. Officers then asked a neighbor, who was later identified as Leleiga’s uncle, if he knew of the suspect's whereabouts, however they were unable to locate the suspect.

Officers continued to search nearby houses, and they were finally able to locate the suspect near the guest house.

Police officers apprehended Leleiga and escorted him to the police unit. As officers were escorting the suspect, they were approached by villagers who were trying to get to the suspect. Once the suspect was placed in the police unit, officers immediately transported him to the FPS to avoid contact from villagers.

Afterwards, the officers proceeded to the reporter’s house to investigate further.

The reporter told investigators that her daughters were at the scene at the time of the incident. The two daughters/ witnesses were brought to the FPS for questioning.

Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) were called in to assess Leleiga’s injuries. “Observation of Alema’s facial area revealed bleeding from the right side of his head and bruising on his right eye.” After EMT assessed the suspect's injuries, he was transported to LBJ to receive treatment.

Police officers interviewed the first witness who stated “she was at the guest house, she saw Faalevao and his brothers pass by, she then hurriedly walked towards them.” She saw Leleiga walking to the front and Faalevao following right after.

The witness claimed “Leleiga threw the first punch and then Faalevao fought back.”

The witness then explained that she and her younger sister “tried hard to stop the fight”. She gathered Leleiga’s belongings and handed it to him as “he managed to get out of the fight”. She explained that Faalevao attempted to follow Leleiga, however “her sister stopped him and grabbed his arm trying to take him home.”

The witness said that “she told Faalevao to go straight home, not knowing that Leleiga was going to wait for Faalevao in front of the Drug Store in Fagaalu.”

She explained that “while walking with her friend towards where Faalevao was heading, she was shocked seeing Leleiga and Faalevao standing facing each other.”

She stated that she ran towards Faalevao and stood between the two men, not knowing that Leleiga had a knife on him. A fight then broke out between the two men and the witness claimed that Leleiga swung his hand twice, cutting Faalevao’s arm.

 The witness and her sister panicked and tried to assist Faalevao as Leleiga fled the scene.

The second witness provided her statement and said that “she saw Leleiga hitting Faalevao with a knife, by swinging his hand twice and cutting Faalevao’s arm.” It was then that she saw blood and realized that Faalevao was bleeding and Leleiga was nowhere to be found.

After Leleiga was treated at LBJ, he was brought back to the FPS and Mirandized. He provided his statement.

He stated, “Faalevao approached him, challenged him to fight, which they [then] got into a fist fight.” The suspect then explained “he left and went to his home, he then picked up a carving knife that was in the box and went back.”

Leleiga said that he saw another male individual walking towards him as he was about to leave the Drug Store and Faalevao followed right behind. He said Faalevao “challenged him again and they got into a fist fight.”

Leleiga was booked and confined at the Tafuna Correctional Facility (TCF) for 48 hours.

There was another witness who was interviewed and he described what he saw of the incident.

“He was about to go home and … saw Leleiga standing in front of the Drug Store with his hands on his back.” He saw Faalevao walking towards them and asked him (witness) if Leleiga was his cousin in which he replied, “yes”. The witness then explained that “Faalevao threw punches to Leleiga but never hit his face” and he (witness) tried to stop Faalevao by grabbing his shoulder, not knowing that Faalevao was already wounded. Later, he noticed that he had blood on his hand.

As Faalevao was being treated at LBJ, an officer requested that Faalevao and his aunt come to the FPS after treatment was received. When Faalevao and his aunt arrived at the FPS, they were informed that Faalevao was not under arrest and would return home after providing his statement.

Faalevao explained that “he was on his way home, and saw Leleiga standing under a breadfruit tree by himself.” Faalevao approached Leleiga and challenged him to a fight. He further explained that “they ended up throwing punches to each other but were stopped by the mentioned witnesses.”

He said Leleiga walked away and called out to him to continue their fight at the guest house but was stopped by the witness. It was then that Faalevao walked over to Leleiga’s residence calling out for Leleiga to come out, but no one replied.

He continued that as he was walking back home, “he saw Leleiga standing in front of the Drug Store with his hand on his back” and challenged him once again to a fist fight. Faalevao said they both got into a fist fight and he did not feel anything until Leleiga’s cousin grabbed him and pulled him away.

Faalevao said that he then went home with his brother and was instructed by his uncle to go to the hospital to receive treatment.

Leleiga was charged with the following:

Count 1: Public Peace Disturbance — a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment of not more than fifteen (15) days, a fine of $300, or both; and,

Count 2: Assault in the Second Degree — a class D Felony, punishable by a term of imprisonment not to exceed five (5) years, a fine not to exceed $5000, or both.

Bail for the defendant was set at $10,000.

Leleiga is identified as a 32-year-old citizen of Samoa.