“It was a hostage situation” – Police clarify their actions

By Lagi Keresoma/

Apia, Samoa – 31 January 2025 – After a five hourlong standoff between police and an armed Chinese businessman at Siusega last Friday, police agreed for another Chinese couple to drive the man to the Faleata police station.

“It was a hostage situation, and it was part of the deal police negotiated with the armed man to avoid injury or loss of life,” the Commissioner of Police, Auapaau Logoitino Filipo explained.

The police have been criticized by the public for treating the Chinese gunman differently from other similar matters.

The man had locked himself and his ex-wife inside his shop as the police were negotiating with him through an interpreter. He had earlier fired shots that injured a police officer on the neck.

Sequence of events
Auapaau said according to information by the staff, the Chinese man and ex-wife had an argument and he assaulted the woman.

One of the employees called the police for help and the Faleata Police Outpost was the first response.

The Police arrived and the Chinese man armed with a pistol shot and hit one of the officers above the shoulder then locked his ex-wife and himself inside the house.

“We asked some of the Chinese people and also the Chinese Embassy for help in translating negotiations between the police and the Chinese man,” said Auapaau.

During negotiations, we were told that the Chinese man said he would kill his ex-wife then commit suicide.

“We tried our best to talk him down and he finally agreed to release his ex-wife, but said he would end his life,” said Auapaau.

Negotiations continued and he finally agreed to come out but on conditions.

“His conditions were that he did not want police to escort him but asked the Chinese couple to drive him to the Faleata Police Outpost and not the main office in Apia,” said Auapaau.

Auapaau said to avoid a loss of life, they agreed and that was why he was driven out of Siusega by a Chinese couple and not police and was later transferred to the Apia main office.

Charges
The man is in custody at Tanumalala prison and has been charged with attempted murder, possession of unlawful and unregistered weapons such as the pistol he used on the police officer and being armed with a dangerous weapon.

There was also an outstanding warrant of arrest on a domestic issue between him and his ex-wife.

Search for ex-wife
The Chinese operate a shop at Siusega where the incident happened and his ex-wife, a Vietnamese woman, also works at the shop.

Auapaau said they are trying to locate the whereabouts of the ex-wife and as for the injured police officer, he is recovering well.