Gilbert Lightburn says ‘I was defending myself’ as he is remanded on attempted murder charges

Published by BBNTEAM at September 3, 2024

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Posted: Tuesday, September 3, 2024. 9:32 pm CST.

By Aaron Humes: 41-year-old Gilbert Lightburn, an American firefighter from Los Angeles, California, is on remand on three charges of attempted murder and four counts of use of deadly means of harm, accused of starting a knife fight at Shisha Bar on Newtown Barracks on Saturday night.

Appearing in court on Monday, Lightburn did not give a plea to the indictable offenses and due to the nature of the offenses, bail was denied. He returns to court on October 30.

Lightburn said he had retained an attorney, but he was not at court. He spoke on his own behalf, telling the Magistrate when asked if he understood the charges: “I understand it, but I never attempted to murder anyone, I was defending myself.” He added, “I am afraid. I was robbed of my phone…”

The Magistrate told him he could apply to the High Court for bail and that it would be best if he did not say anything further without an attorney present.

Lightburn is accused of the attempted murder of Ian, 30, and Javon Abraham, 31, each of Nurse Findley Crescent; and the use of deadly means of harm on Ian, Javon and Giovanni Abraham, 35, and Mark Usher, 33, both of Fabers Road, Belize City. Giovanni and Ian Abraham have been discharged from the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) per a relative, but Javon Abraham and Mark Usher each remain hospitalized. The relative told us that Javon Abraham and Mark Usher both experienced collapsed lungs where doctors had to insert a tube to drain out the blood from the lungs. We were reliably informed by the relative that Javon and Ian Abraham are brothers and that the others are all cousins to each other.

Police’s initial investigation revealed that on Saturday, August 31, at around 1:30 a.m., Javon Abraham was socializing inside Shisha when a man approached him and stabbed him. When Abraham realized that he was stabbed, he went after the person, who walked outside of Shisha’s where a fight broke out and Ian Abraham, Giovanni Abraham, and Mark Usher were also stabbed. Police say the man who stabbed them was later identified as Gilbert Lightburn Jr., who was detained by Precinct Three Support Team Personnel. He was also taken for treatment to the KHMH.

Notably, police officers and personnel working as security at Shisha’s missed that the accused was carrying a knife when he entered the establishment.

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