Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On September 23, 2026, a victim contacted the Tafuna Police Station (TPS) and reported that his nephew was allegedly causing a disturbance in Iliili. The suspect during arrest allegedly resisted and threatened to kill a police officer. 

The defendant was later charged with:
Count 1: Public Peace Disturbance, a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to six months, a fine 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 more than a year, or both.

The defendant was held without bail.

According to the court affidavit, the incident occurred at approximately 10:27 p.m., when the suspect’s uncle contacted the TPS to report that his nephew appeared intoxicated and was causing a disturbance in the neighborhood.

The reporting party told police that the suspect, Samuelu Mapu was shouting vulgar language, creating a public nuisance in the surrounding area.

Approximately one minute later, at 10:28 p.m., another resident contacted the police station to report the same individual shouting profanities.

Following the two complaints, officers were dispatched to the Ili'ili area to investigate the disturbance.

Upon arrival, responding officers were briefed by the initial reporting party, who identified Mapu as the individual involved.

According to the report, officers approached Mapu and attempted to detain him. However, he allegedly refused to cooperate and physically resisted their efforts to place him in handcuffs. Mapu reportedly pulled and twisted his body away from the officers while they attempted to restrain him. He also refused instructions to place his hands behind his back. The report further states that Mapu deliberately tensed his body and locked his arms, preventing officers from securing the handcuffs. As the struggle continued, additional officers arrived in another police unit to assist with the apprehension.

During the confrontation, Mapu allegedly became angry with one of the assisting officers and directed threatening remarks toward him. According to the police report, Mapu challenged the officer by stating, "Ke ulavale ia a’u,” which was translated as "You want a piece of me?"

Despite his resistance, officers eventually managed to restrain Mapu and secure him in handcuffs.

He was subsequently placed inside a police patrol vehicle and transported to the TPS for further investigation. However, according to investigators, Mapu's confrontational behavior continued after he arrived at the station.

While inside the interrogation room, an officer removed Mapu's handcuffs. Shortly afterward, Mapu allegedly directed another verbal threat toward the same officer he had confronted during his arrest. The report states that Mapu told the officer, "Ke ulavale, laku loa fasioki ma oe," which police translated as "You want a piece of me, I'll come over there and kill you." The threatening statement was documented as part of the investigation. 

The report does not indicate that Mapu physically assaulted any of the responding officers — only threatening them. 

Following the incident inside the interrogation room, Mapu was advised of his constitutional rights. According to the report, he verbally waived those rights and declined to exercise them.

At approximately 11:09 p.m., Mapu was processed and remanded to the Tafuna Correctional Facility, where he was detained pending his appearance in District Court.

The affidavit was filed in the District Court on Sept. 25, 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.]