The Tribune

By Morgan Adderley

Tribune Staff Reporter

madderley@tribunemedia.net

THE man who set himself on fire earlier this month in Eleuthera has died, the Royal Bahamas Police Force has confirmed.

Shortly before 9pm on March 1, Devon Leroy Forbes was outside a laundromat in Eleuthera when he poured a flammable substance over his head and set himself alight.

Superintendent Shanta Knowles told The Tribune the day after the incident Forbes possibly set himself aflame following a “domestic dispute”.

Although bystanders attempted to douse the flames, Forbes suffered extreme burns to his face and upper body.

He was airlifted to Princess Margaret Hospital in Nassau for treatment.

Chief Superintendent Stephen Adderley, of the Governor’s Harbour Police Station, confirmed to The Tribune yesterday that Forbes was later flown to a hospital in Colombia for further treatment.

Forbes passed away there due to complications from his injuries.

On March 2, Chief Supt Adderley described the initial incident to The Tribune as follows: “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.”

The incident went viral on social media.

On March 6, a GoFundMe was created on behalf of Forbes to raise money for his medical expenses. The goal on the crowdfunding site was set to $500,000.

Named the “Leroy Devon Forbes Medical Expense”, the page raised $2,135 in 15 days.

Forbes’ death was lamented by Facebook users.

One woman wrote: “Rest in peace schooly Devon Forbes for we don’t know what all you were thinking or what was going on but see you in Zion my brother sleep on.”

Another commented: “They don’t know his story and didn’t know what he endured.”