Joseph Pugh Jr.

Joseph Pugh Jr.

On April 28 at about 8:20 p.m., Guam Police Department officers responded to reports of Joseph Pugh Jr. allegedly stabbing a 15-year-old across from Liguan Elementary School in Dededo, according to a magistrate's complaint filed in the Superior Court of Guam.

According to charging documents, a 15-year-old told police that about 20 minutes before their arrival, Pugh, 42, approached the minor victim and his friends at the basketball court. Pugh allegedly struck a 17-year-old male who was present on the back of the head and said, "The sun is down. It's time to go home now."

When the 15-year-old asked why Pugh hit his friend, he noticed Pugh had a "sharp and shiny" object in his hand. Pugh allegedly lunged at the 15-year-old and struck the minor on his chest.

According to the complaint, the 15-year-old had a three-inch-long laceration and his wound was about two inches wide. The teen was taken to the Guam Memorial Hospital for treatment.

The 15-year-old further stated Pugh appeared to be drunk or high because he was walking sluggishly.

The 17-year-old reported to officers that Pugh approached him at 7 p.m. and asked why the park was dark, to which the 17-year-old responded the lights didn't work. Pugh left and returned about an hour later.

"At that time, (the 17-year-old) noticed that the defendant appeared to be holding a rebar in his left hand and a possible knife or broken glass bottle in the defendant's right hand and shouted, ... 'The park is closed, and you need to leave the park now,'" the complaint stated.

The 17-year-old responded, "You are not my father." Pugh allegedly leaped forward toward the minor and made a slicing motion. A struggle then ensued where the minor tried to grab the sharp object out of Pugh's hand before the 17-year-old felt a "pipe-like object" hit the back of his head. Another male present saw the 17-year-old get hit and tried to get the pipe from Pugh's hand, but was unsuccessful.

During the struggle, the other male felt a hit from the pipe-like object behind his neck. The two victims, however, managed to get a hold of Pugh and pushed him to the ground before they punched Pugh's face to get Pugh to stop, the complaint stated.

Pugh tried to get up but was subdued by the two males and others. He was arrested at 8:38 p.m. the same evening. Pugh was taken to the hospital to be admitted due to his injuries, the complaint stated.

Pugh was charged with three counts of aggravated assault as third-degree felonies, with one of the charges carrying a special allegation of using a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony.

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