Photo: Gilbert Lightburn, Jr., remanded
BELIZE CITY, Mon. Sept. 2, 2024
Tonight, an American firefighter, accused of stabbing four cousins during a fight at Shisha’s Night Club on Sunday, is spending his first night at the Belize Central Prison after being arraigned on three counts of attempted murder and four counts of use of deadly means of harm.
This morning, 41-year-old Gilbert Lightburn, Jr., an American firefighter of Los Angeles, California, appeared unrepresented before a Magistrate in Court #8.
Because the offenses which Lightburn is accused of committing are indictable, the sitting Magistrate explained to him that he would not be taking a plea from him, and that no bail could be offered. Lightburn was thus remanded to the Belize Central Prison until October 30, 2024.
During his arraignment, Lightburn, Jr. informed the court that he had an attorney who was not present at the time, and so the matter was stood down while checks were made outside to locate his attorney; however, that was futile, and so the arraignment continued without his attorney present.
After the first two charges were read to him and the sitting Magistrate explained to him that no plea would be taken from him, and asked if he understood the charges, Lightburn, Jr. said, “I understand it; but I never attempted to murder anyone. I was defending myself.”
Before his arraignment concluded, Lightburn, Jr. asked the sitting Magistrate when he would get the opportunity to explain what happened.
Lightburn, Jr. then blurred out loudly in court, “I am afraid. I was robbed of my phone …”.
The sitting Magistrate explained to him that due to the nature of the offense, he would need to apply to the High Court for bail, and that it was best that he didn’t say anything else until his attorney was present.
Lightburn, Jr. was read three counts of attempted murder—upon Ian and Javon Abraham and Mark Usher; and four counts of use of deadly means of harm upon Ian, Javon and Giovanni Abraham and Mark Usher.
Facts of the case
On Saturday, August 31, 2024, at around 2:15 a.m., police were informed of a stabbing incident at Shisha’s Night Club located on Newtown Barracks, Belize City.
As a result, CIB visited the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital and saw four persons suffering from multiple apparent stab wound injuries.
The stabbing victims were identified as Ian Abraham, 30, a labourer of #26 Nurse Findley Crescent, Belize City; 31-year-old, Javon Abraham, a labourer of the same address; 35-year-old Giovanni Abraham, a labourer of #29 Fabers Road, Belize City; and Mark Usher, 33, a Belizean labourer of #29 Fabers Road, Belize City.
Police’s initial investigation revealed that on Saturday, August 31, 2024, at around 1:30 a.m., Javon Abraham, 31, was socializing inside Shisha’s Night Club when a male person approached him and stabbed him. When Abraham realized that he had been stabbed, he went after the person, who walked outside of Shisha’s Night Club, where a fight broke out, during which Ian Abraham, Giovanni Abraham and Mark Usher were also stabbed.
Police say the man who stabbed them was later identified as Gilbert Lightburn, Jr., an American of Los Angeles, California, who was detained by Precinct Three support team personnel.
As a result of the stabbing victims’ report, police launched an investigation into the matter, and medico legal forms were issued to Javon, Ian and Giovanni Abraham and Mark Usher.
Police also visited the scene, and pictures were taken; and police, based on the description of the man who allegedly had stabbed the men, later charged Lightburn with three counts of attempted murder, and four counts of use of deadly means of harm.
The mother of Giovanni Abraham told us that her son, along with her cousin, Ian Abraham, have since been discharged from the KHMH, but Javon Abraham and Mark Usher remain hospitalized.
The relative told us that Javon Abraham and Mark Usher each suffered a collapsed lung, which required doctors to insert a tube to drain out the blood from the lungs.
She informed us that Javon and Ian Abraham are brothers, and that the others are all cousins.
(AMANDALA Ed. Note: Our sources tell us that Gilbert Lightburn, Jr. was visiting Belize for the funeral of his father, Gilbert Lightburn, Sr., on Friday, August 30. Gilbert, Sr. was the brother of renowned Belizean Olympian, Bob Lightburn who still runs a meat stall at the Michael Finnegan Market on Saturday mornings. Sincere condolences, brother Bob!)
