The annual Christmas Eve lime in Rose Hall Town, Berbice was marred with two fatal stabbings in multiple fights during the celebrations.

Those who died in separate incidents have been identified as 27-year old Stephen Lewis called ‘Shabba’  and 30-year old Carlos Williams called ‘Tony’ while the injured have been named as Kevin Gopilall, Charmaine Harry and Paul Grant.

The first incident occurred at around 22:20 hrs on Christmas Eve and involved Lewis who
hailed from Lot 29, Portuguese Quarter.He was also a resident of Rose Hall Town.

According to information, Lewis and the suspect allegedly had an argument over a spot for the placement of a ‘Chic Chic’ table.

The argument escalated into a physical confrontation and Lewis was stabbed to the neck.  He fell to the ground and was rushed to the Port Mourant Hospital where he succumbed shortly after. The police have detained the suspect who is from David Street, Rose Hall Town.

While Lewis was being rushed to the hospital, another fight broke and the confrontation involved Gopilall who was stabbed with a broken bottle and slashed about his body. Speaking on anonymity, an eyewitness related that Gopilall was standing obliquely opposite Churches Chicken dancing to music in the area when he and another man started punching each other .

“He did dancing and he and this banna start fighiting but we couldn’t hear what the argument was about cause the music did playing and then the banna just pick up couple bottle and buss them and start gash he all over,” the eyewitness said.Gopilall then collapsed.

The eyewitness related that Gopilall was on the ground bleeding for over half of n hour before he was picked up and taken to the hospital while the suspect fled the scene.  His condition was listed as serious up to press time.

The third incident happened at around 03:40 hrs on Christmas morning outside of a popular spot in Portuguese Quarter that resulted in Williams’ death.

The man allegedly had an alteration with a resident of Fyrish village known as
‘Baba’.

During that incident Williams’ wife, Sharmaine Harry, and a friend were also injured as they tried to intervene.

According to Paul Grant, who is a friend of Williams, the men were in the night club when Williams decided to go outside to relief himself since the washroom at the entity was over crowded.

“We go outside and we see them guys looking at we funny next thing you know one a dem just rush up with a bottle and start knocking Tony(Williams). The bottle buss and he get cut up so I step in to part the fight and them man start pon me and buss up me head,”Paul related.

He said that Williams’ wife emerged from the club looking for them and she too, upon seeing the altercation between the men, attempted to separate the men but she was injured in the process.

Eventually Williams fell to the ground as ‘Baba’ ran away. Reports are that Williams got up and managed to walk over the road in pursuit of his assailant but fell again and was taken to the hospital where he later  succumbed. Both Grant and Harry, wife of the deceased, were treated for their injuries and later sent away.

An investigation has been launched into the incidents.