On Monday, Jan. 4, at approximately 2:20am, Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) officers responded to a residence in the 3200 block of Chestnut Avenue regarding what was originally thought to be a burglary. Subsequently, four male subjects were arrested and charges were filed against them.
Officers arrived at the location within two minutes of the communications center receiving a 9-1-1 call, according to the LBPD, and they saw a vehicle leaving the scene at a high rate of speed and initiated a pursuit. The suspect vehicle lost control and struck a power pole at the intersection of 25th Street and Chestnut Avenue, and two of the four male occupants ran off, at least one of them armed with a firearm. The two individuals who remained in the vehicle were taken into custody. A perimeter was immediately established and the area locked down.
The communications center then received a call from a concerned resident regarding a suspicious person in the 2400 block of Chestnut Avenue. Officers responded to that area and arrested the third suspect, who was located in the back yard of a residence on that block.
With the assistance of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the Los Angeles Police Department’s helicopter, the fourth suspect was observed in the rear yard of a residence in the 2500 block of Cedar Avenue. At that time, LBPD SWAT was activated. At one point during the incident, the suspect began jumping fences from yard to yard. With the assistance of the police service dog unit, the suspect was taken into custody by SWAT officers. Officers recovered two firearms during the search. Two of the suspects were transported to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries before being cleared for booking.
“The arrest of all four suspects was a direct result of the quick response and actions of the responding officers, their immediate coordination of resources and the community members who didn’t hesitate to pick up the phone to call 9-1-1,” said Long Beach Police Chief Robert Luna.
While still investigating the incident, detectives determined marijuana sales from the residence was a possible motive for the robbery.
On Jan. 6, detectives presented the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, and the following charges were filed:
• Bishop Tumulak, 21, of Lakewood was charged with four counts of home-invasion robbery, one count of fleeing a pursuing peace officer while driving recklessly and one count of possession of a concealed firearm in a vehicle
• Kaelenn Maea, 19, of Carson, was charged with four counts of home-invasion robbery, one count of fleeing a pursuing peace officer while driving recklessly, one count of possession of a concealed firearm in a vehicle, one count of possession of a concealed firearm on a person and one count of assault on a police dog
• Faasoa Savaii, 18, of Long Beach, was charged with four counts of home-invasion robbery, one count of fleeing a pursuing peace officer while driving recklessly and one count of possession of a concealed firearm in a vehicle
At press time, Maea was being held on $596,000 bail, and Savaii on $610,000 bail. Both were at L.A. County Men’s Central Jail. Tumulak posted bail and was released.
The fourth suspect is a 14-year-old from Long Beach who was charged with three counts of home-invasion robbery and one count of possession of a firearm. He is being held at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall without bail.
Those with information regarding this incident are asked to contact LBPD Robbery Detective Ben Vargas at (562) 570-7464. Anonymous tips may be submitted by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), texting TIPLA plus the tip to CRIMES (274637) or visiting lacrimestoppers.org .
