Two men arrested after allegedly firing handgun during July 4th celebration at Lions Park

By Samoa News staff reporters@samoanews.com Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Two men are facing criminal charges after allegedly firing a handgun during an Independence Day celebration near Lions Park in Tafuna, where hundreds of people had gathered to watch fireworks and attend a public concert. The suspects were later charged with: Count 1: Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, a class A misdemeanor, a crime punishable by imprisonment not to exceed one year or fined not more than $1,000 or both; and, Count 2: Disturbing Public Peace, a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to six months, a fine not to exceed $500, or both. The defendants’ bails were set at $1,000. According to the court affidavit, Harry Sipili and Maanaima Avau were arrested following an investigation into reports of gunfire near the Pala Lagoon on the night of July 4, 2026. Authorities allege that Sipili discharged a 9-millimeter handgun twice while fireworks were being launched and later handed the firearm to Avau, who allegedly fired one additional round before police intervened. OFFICERS HEAR GUNFIRE DURING FIREWORKS DISPLAY Court documents state that at approximately 11:30 p.m., officers assigned to a stationary checkpoint in front of the former ANZ Bank building in Tafuna were monitoring traffic and public safety during the Independence Day festivities. While fireworks were exploding overhead, one of the officers heard what he believed were gunshots occurring at nearly the same time as the fireworks. Although the sounds initially blended with the fireworks display, the officer recognized the distinct sound of a handgun being fired and immediately alerted fellow officers. Police began moving towards the area where they believed the gunshots had originated — near the Fau trees along the Pala Lagoon. As officers approached the area, one officer directed his flashlight towards a group gathered beneath the Fau trees and observed Avau holding what appeared to be a 9-millimeter handgun. Before officers reached the group, Avau allegedly handed the firearm back to Sipili. When questioned about the weapon, Avau reportedly told officers that he had just returned the handgun to Sipili. Officers immediately conducted a pat-down search of Sipili but did not initially locate the firearm. However, they recovered a 9-millimeter magazine containing live ammunition from the ground nearby and secured it as evidence. Avau was detained and transported to the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) while officers continued searching for the firearm. DEFENDANT SURRENDERS FIREARM A short time later, officers approached Sipili as he walked towards his vehicle. According to investigators, officers questioned him about the handgun, at which point Sipili walked to his vehicle, retrieved the firearm, and voluntarily surrendered it to police. The weapon was later identified as a Smith & Wesson Model 915 9-millimeter handgun. Investigators also recovered two magazines containing a total of 11 live rounds of ammunition. Police photographed the firearm, documented the evidence, and transferred the investigation to the Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Bureau. Investigation Confirms Three Shots Fired During the investigation, officers determined that the handgun had been fired three times during the celebration. Investigators interviewed several responding officers who described hearing gunshots while fireworks were being discharged. Police also searched the immediate area and questioned several individuals attending the festivities. Many people told officers they neither saw nor heard the gunfire, likely because the shots occurred while fireworks were exploding overhead. AVAU ADMITS FIRING WEAPON After being Mirandized, Avau agreed to speak with investigators. According to his statement, he had finished work earlier that evening before meeting friends from his golf group beneath the Fau trees near Pala Lagoon. He stated that while everyone was watching the fireworks display, Sipili retrieved a handgun from his vehicle and fired two rounds towards the ocean. Avau told investigators he had never handled a firearm before and had only seen guns in movies. Curious about how the handgun worked, he asked Sipili if he could hold it. According to investigators, Sipili handed him the firearm and demonstrated how to grip it and operate it. Avau admitted that he then pointed the handgun towards the ocean and fired one round before returning the weapon to Sipili. He stated that moments later an officer approached the group. When questioned by officers, Avau informed them that he no longer possessed the firearm because he had already returned it. Although he admitted firing the weapon, Avau told investigators that he acted solely out of curiosity and never intended to harm anyone. He later provided a written statement before being booked and transported to the Tafuna Correctional Facility (TCF). SIPILI ADMITS POSSESSING ILLEGAL FIREARM Investigators also advised Sipili of his constitutional rights before interviewing him. According to his statement, Sipili, a United States Army veteran, said he enjoys celebrating Independence Day each year and traditionally fires his personal handgun during the holiday while at home. He told investigators that on Saturday, July 4th, he attended the festivities at Lions Park with his wife and children before remaining with members of his golf club near Pala Lagoon. Sipili admitted that he retrieved the handgun from his vehicle and fired two rounds towards the ocean while the fireworks display was underway. He also admitted giving the firearm to Avau, who subsequently fired one round before returning it. According to investigators, Sipili acknowledged that he knew possessing the 9-millimeter handgun was illegal and that discharging a firearm in a crowded public area was against the law. He was subsequently booked and transported to the TCF. FIREARM WAS NOT LICENSED As part of the investigation, authorities checked firearm registration records maintained by the Department of Public Safety. Investigators determined that neither Sipili nor Avau possess a valid license for the 9-millimeter handgun recovered during the incident. The affidavits were filed in the District Court on July 06, 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.] Section: Local News Tags: court report
2026-07-14 17:10:39