Police investigate alleged assault at women’s and children’s shelter
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On November 9, 2024, a female individual contacted the Tafuna Police Substation regarding another female individual who allegedly assaulted the clients and staff of the Shelter for Women and Children.
The suspect was later arrested and charged with: Count 1, 2, 3, & 4: Assault in the Third Degree ( As a C Misd.), a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for fifteen days, a fine of $300, or both; and,
Count 5: Private Peace Disturbance, a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for fifteen days, a fine of $300, or both.
The defendant’s bail was set at $1,000.
According to the affidavit, on Nov. 9th, at about 7:10 a.m., TPS received a call from the Shelter for Women and Children reporting that Easter Tufele (later identified as the suspect) was fighting with the clients and staff.
Police officers responded to the call and upon arrival at the scene, they met with a female individual (later identified as the reporter) who briefed the officers regarding the incident.
The reporter stated that multiple people were trying to stop the suspect from hurting the workers and the clients at the shelter. She stated that “everyone was trying to calm the suspect down, but she wouldn’t listen.”
Moreover, the reporter stated that the suspect engaged in a series of aggressive acts in a very short time and caused a disturbance within the shelter which caused others to try and calm her down. The reporter explained that one of the female individuals got slapped by the suspect when she tried to calm her down. She stated that the suspect also assaulted two other female individuals and one of them is seven months pregnant.
The officers interviewed the victims and took pictures of their injuries. Upon surveying the area, the suspect was nowhere to be found.
The victims were transported to the TPS to be treated and were transported back to the shelter afterward. The reporter’s accounts of what happened were corroborated by each of the victims, who were also interviewed.
At about 10:43 a.m., the suspect contacted the TPS stating that she wanted to collect her items from the shelter. The officers responded, and brought Tufele into the TPS for questioning.
Tufele spontaneously stated that she was not at fault and that everyone had tried to attack her.
The officers Mirandized the suspect while she kept interrupting and stating that she does not want to make any statement. The suspect also stated multiple times that “I want a lawyer”.
She refused give the officers any information, and refused to sign any paperwork. The only information she provided was her first and last name.
After the booking process, as the officers were trying to handcuff the suspect, she resisted arrest by pulling her hands away and fidgeting. As the officers were trying to place her in the police unit, the suspect grabbed onto a chair in an effort to stop the officers from taking her.
After a couple of seconds of scuffling with the officers, Tufele was placed inside the police unit and transported to the Tafuna Correctional Facility to be confined to await the next available sitting of the District Court.