The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK 

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net 

SENIOR immigration officer Ruis Gibson - who shot and killed a man who had stabbed his son to death during a beach party in Grand Bahama in April - will not face criminal charges after an inquest found that the shooting was lawful. 

Many immigration officers packed the courtroom in support of Mr Gibson, who is still trying to cope with the death of his son. 

Attorney Renaldo Toote, of Carlson Shurland and Co, represented Mr Gibson at the Coroner’s Court inquest into the deaths of two men – Rasheid Gibson, 31, and Nicolaus John, 44 –  on April 2 at Xanadu Beach. 

According to initial police reports, Gibson was celebrating his birthday at a private beach party with friends and relatives. John, who was not an invited guest, was confronted by Gibson and other partygoers. There was an altercation between both men. Gibson was fatally stabbed by John and Mr Gibson pulled out his gun and shot John.   

At the time police, had classified one of the killings as a murder, an unlawful killing, while the other, John’s death, was classified as a homicide. 

An inquest into the deaths started in mid-September. Some 19 witnesses were called to give evidence, including police officers, eyewitnesses, and a pathologist.   

Yesterday, after a month of testimony, the jury brought back a unanimous verdict that the shooting of John was lawful. 

Mr Toote told The Tribune that his client is relieved by the outcome, but is still hurting over the loss of his son.  

“It is a bittersweet moment for him in that Mr Gibson lost a son on April 2, and for the past six months he had to live through an ordeal of losing his son on the one hand, and fight for his freedom in relation as to whether the shooting was justified or not,” said the Nassau-based attorney. 

“I am so happy and relieved that now he can start to heal psychologically, and he is scheduled to see a counsellor and psychiatrist starting tomorrow,” Mr Toote said. 

The attorney said that the court heard eyewitness accounts that John stabbed Rasheid Gibson’s head with a knife.   

“We heard that prior to John coming to Xanadu Beach, where him and some other friends were uninvited, that they were consuming alcoholic beverages and were involved in dangerous drugs on the date in question,” Mr Toote said. 

The court also heard from Dr Mandy Pedican, pathologist at the Rand Memorial Hospital, who gave expert testimony and confirmed the deaths of both men.