Man sets himself on fire after 'domestic dispute'

As of Friday, March 2, 2018

By Morgan Adderley

Tribune Staff Reporter

madderley@tribunemedia.net

A MAN in his mid-thirties set himself on fire Thursday night outside a laundromat in Eleuthera.

Superintendent Shanta Knowles, press liaison for the Royal Bahamas Police Force, discussed the incident with the Tribune on Friday.

According to Supt Knowles, the incident occurred shortly before 9pm on Thursday.

She said it possibly occurred after a “domestic dispute.”

Chief Superintendent Stephen Adderley, of the Governor’s Harbour Police Station, also confirmed this report to The Tribune.

He said: “We received a report of a male who had set himself afire at a local Laundromat.”

“When we arrived we discovered a male lying in the parking lot who was suffering from burns to his face and both arms and chest.”

“And speaking to nearby witnesses, they informed us that he had a conversation with his ex-girlfriend.”

“Words were exchanged, and as a result he took a bottle of substance and poured it over his head.”

Supt Adderley continued: “One of the bystanders attempted to assist in [preventing] him from harming himself.”

“But within a quick second he had lit the substance and it caught afire. And as a result nearby persons doused the flames using blankets and some soil.”

“As a result of that he received extensive burns to his face and upper arms. He was treated at the local clinic and then flew into Nassau.”

“He was air-lifted sometime between one and two am in the morning.”

Supt Knowles confirmed that up to eight o’clock on Friday morning the man was in the Intensive Care Unit at the Princess Margaret Hospital.

The Tribune understands the man’s name is Devon Leroy Forbes.

The incident and alleged photos of the man went viral on social media Friday morning.

ThisIsOurs 6 years, 2 months ago

Too bad, he must have been in terrible pain. Not the way....

rawbahamian 6 years, 2 months ago

Well if you commit suicide you go to hell and the best way to go to hell is to be on fire to prepare yourself for eternity !

Porcupine 6 years, 2 months ago

IF there is a god and if there is hell. A lot of thinking people doubt they exist. Just not here. Travel around a bit to get a sense of reality.

hrysippus 6 years, 2 months ago

self proclaimed Christians can be so ridiculous. Some seem to believe that God sat down with a pen and paper and wrote out the Bible. Half the Bible is the religious text of Judaism but their interpretations, made over centuries, are ignored in favour of some ignorant charlatan on TV trying to get their money. This poor soul who was suffering such mental anguish is not in hell. May his family be comforted and a curse on the overly self-righteous who say otherwise.

ashley14 6 years, 2 months ago

That is one unhappy man.

John 6 years, 2 months ago

' The Bible only mentions the deaths of two apostles, James who was put to death by Herod Agrippa I in 44 AD and Judas Iscariot who committed suicide shortly after the death of Christ. The details of the deaths of three of the apostles (John, the Beloved, Bartholomew and Simon the Canaanite) are not known at all, either by tradition or early historians. The deaths of the other seven apostles are known by tradition or the writings of early Christian historians. According to traditions and the Bible, eight of the Apostles died as Martyrs. At least two of the Apostles, Peter and Andrew were crucified.'

Setting one's self on fire is one of the worst and most painful things a human can do, especially when death is the intended result and it doesn't happen. As the body attempts to heal itself,the scaring and the grafting and the physical therapy to keep joints moving and skin from fusing together is beyond painful. And even though the patient is put into an induce coma to avoid pain, he will eventually be brought out of it and given strong pain killers that are very addictive and may include morphine. unfortunately with burn victims, it is usually when it appears that they will recover is when the body shuts own and they expire. And even if you survive, the person rejected you when you were whole and not scarred. now after what you have one to yourself, what are the chances now of making back up with her or even finding another woman.

ashley14 6 years, 2 months ago

Why would you hurt yourself over rejection. We all have been hurt in love, but you go on. You can't make someone love you, they can't themselves love you. The chemistry is there or it isn't . Things do get in the way of people that truly love each other, and that is sad. Setting yourself on fire shows a lot of pain.

Chucky 6 years, 2 months ago

why would you bring up the writings of death from a fictional writing. what relevance does it have to anything?

joeblow 6 years, 2 months ago

We have witnessed the actions of an emotionally immature, mentally unstable person, that is it. Inflicting self harm does not change the dynamics of the relationship the man was in, it only hurt the one who caused harm to himself.

God, who does exist, had nothing to do with this!

Sickened 6 years, 2 months ago

So God controls everything but in this one instance you're saying that he had nothing to do with it! Sounds a little crazy to me. Either EVERYTHING is God's plan or NOTHING is! Make up your minds people!!!!

joeblow 6 years, 2 months ago

Although He has the power to control everything He has given man free will, ie the ability to choose between different options. Each choice man makes has a consequence (if you set yourself alight after dousing with gasoline you will suffer serious burns and pain or death). God did not cause the decision to douse with gas or to light the match, the person did. You should also realize with your fallacious statement that there has to be something between the two extremes of EVERYTHING and NOTHING, that's where most things fit in!

ashley14 6 years, 2 months ago

Joeblow your absolutely right. This man obvious didn't have God's influence in his life. If he had God would of spoke to him and he might of listened. God doesn't make mistakes. A life absent of God is scary. Sometimes we all need a soft place to fall.

Chucky 6 years, 2 months ago

"God doesn't make mistakes" you're delusional, first for believing in "God", and second for not being able to apply reason to understand the nature , scope and scale of what happens everyday in this world.

When something good happens you fools credit god, and when something bad happens you say the lord works in mysterious ways.

Get a grip on reality. If there was a god, you should be condemning it (him or her) for all of the lousy things happening on this earth. If there was a god, it's actions could only be described as pure evil given all the suffering imposed on the innocent.

ashley14 6 years, 2 months ago

I do believe in God. First we were given a free will, and we make choices. He does talk to us by influencing us to do the right thing. I know for a fact that I am prayed for everyday, and I know that it has changed what might have been. Most people at this period in time don't know family and church as a whole. I wouldn't trade it for anything. I don't have answers for a lot of things, but God is there.

joeblow 6 years, 2 months ago

Chucky, I am certain you know that there are things that exist outside of your current sphere of knowledge. Don't pretend otherwise!! At this point in time God is one of them. In the same way that you acquire knowledge about other things, you are also able to acquire knowledge of Him. But, that is based on choice which by the way is the same reason for the occurrence of evil acts in the world, people decide. You can decide if you will show mercy or exact revenge, you decide if you will be honest or steal, you decide if you will be faithful in a relationship or cheat. God gives us the ability to choose, we (and others) live with the consequences of those choices! Gods job is not to run around doing damage control for peoples stupid choices!

There are those who chose to live the truths they know and those who choose not to-- hypocrisy has nothing to do with God, but again is individual choice!

joeblow 6 years, 2 months ago

Addendum that should have read-- God is not one of them

ashley14 6 years, 2 months ago

The best answer that I have Chucky is to watch someone with God in their lives, how they live, how they handle things, how things seem to work out for them. God in your life doesn't mean your a stick in the mud either. God is fun and he does have a sense of humor. Then watch people that haven't had God in their lives, and there is a difference. Our free will is hard. We all make mistakes, but some people just always seem to be down on their luck. There is a lot of suffering in the Bahamas, but it's not God's fault. I hope you at least smile at this but it's a true story. I was watching the Lion King with my granddaughter. Yes, Disney's Lion King. You have to understand my heart is in the Bahamas, the life I really want (my kids included) is there. Anyway I worry about you guys. Scar when he killed Mafacia. Scar was a evil selfish leader, that was starving the pride. He obviously was prospering. Macfacia had obviously loved and taken care of the pride. Anyway you know the story, that's what the Bahamian government has done. Look at Grand Bahama a ghost town. The people literally starving and depending on sidewalk food pantry's for help. Look at New Providence. Look at how they live. I don't see it changing. I pray it will, but the corruption is on many levels. The US is the same way, but the difference is we have plenty of jobs. Our government is very corrupt. All my opinions, that's why they have this discussion. I do care about what happens there.

sheeprunner12 6 years, 2 months ago

Men are so stupid when it comes to women!!!!!........ this is so ridiculous ........ No man should be so dumb as to burn up himself because of a verbal tussle with a woman ...... WEAK.

joeblow 6 years, 2 months ago

Most people are lack the emotional maturity to be in relationships anyway, hence the rampant domestic abuse, sweethearting, gold digging etc etc. ad nauseum!

ashley14 6 years, 2 months ago

sheeprunner12 if that's true why isn't one woman enough for a man. How many relationships end over infidelity. Men think it's ok for them but not for a woman. I'll tell you it breaks our hearts. The anger you see is hurt like you've never felt before.

sheeprunner12 6 years, 2 months ago

It takes two to tango ........ cause and effect.

realfreethinker 6 years, 2 months ago

Pu..y is in such abundance,I don't see why these fellas get so distraught when one leave.

Sickened 6 years, 2 months ago

LOL!

DillyTree 6 years, 2 months ago

I'm stunned at some of these comments. So-called Christians at that!

Where is your empathy? Your compassion? My God talks about that -- yours apparently doesn't.

This man must be in serious emotional pain to have done something so drastic. And now he is suffering tremendous physical pain - and may not make it, depending on the extent of his injuries. This is someone's son, someone's brother, and someone's friend. He didn't shoot anyone, he didn't hurt his girlfriend, he didn't harm anyone but himself. Can we not be a little kinder and not so quick to judge?

I'm disgusted with some of these comments - especially those who call themselves Christians.

joeblow 6 years, 2 months ago

Now, now now, you know that not every lawyer is a good and honest one, not every mechanic is trustworthy, not every doctor has integrity, not every politician tells the truth. These issues have nothing to do with one's profession, but has to do with personal integrity and maturity. This is true of all human groups and subgroups, including Christians! There is always room for growth and improvement for all of us and a group should not be judged by the actions of a few!

ashley14 6 years, 2 months ago

Dilly Tree your totally right and I apologize for my part in the conversation. Totally in appropriate, and I meant no disrespect. Sincerely regret for this man and his family.

Sickened 6 years, 2 months ago

The worst thing that happened was them saving this man's life. Sad but true! Watching him suffer would be severely traumatic for the onlookers but this person will now be suffering for months... years instead of minutes. Letting one die is VERY difficult, but sometimes it's the most humane act we can do.

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