This story first ran on Thursday May 31
Samoan police have arrested two men after a disturbing video was posted to Facebook that showed a man being threatened while a gun was held to his head.
The footage surfaced after a war between gangs of youths from the Savaii villages of Salelologa and Salelavalu erupted on the weekend.
A terrified looking young man is seen kneeling down in the video, as other men threaten him in the background, before striking him in the head and pushing a gun into his cheek.
According to a translation by the NZ Herald one of the men then tells their captive to speak.
"Shh, say something - louder! Who are you? Are you from Salelologa?
"Apologise to Salelāvalu."
Police Superintendent Auapa'au Logoitino Filipo told the NZ Herald two men have been arrested over the video and have been charged with causing grievous bodily harm and could still face other charges.
They also report that the two men are aged 21 and 36, both are due to appear in court on June 26.
This video comes after footage surfaced on Monday showing armed young men rampaging through the Salelologa Market on Savaii.
The video, which showed the men flipping tables and intimidating innocent bystanders who look on in terror, had over 100,000 views since being posted on Facebook.
One man appears to be armed with a machete, while another carries a long rifle.
According to a report from the Samoa Observer the incident came after men blocked a road leading to the wharf earlier in the day. The men reportedly threw rocks at those stuck in traffic from their blockade and searched vehicles.
The Samoa Planet reports that this led to a "war" between two villages that culminated in the attack on the market. They report that police and church ministers have since intervened to help stop the violence.
SHARE ME