Man Convicted of First-Degree Murder in Gaslamp Quarter Shooting
- Brian Tyner, 38, was convicted of first-degree murder on Wednesday for the fatal shooting of 46-year-old Antwan Bluthenthal in a Gaslamp District building last year.
- According to a prosecution trial brief cited by The San Diego Union-Tribune, Tyner and two women had been drinking at one of the building's bars for hours prior...
- After being punched, Bluthenthal walked away from the encounter.
Brian Tyner, 38, was convicted of first-degree murder on Wednesday for the fatal shooting of 46-year-old Antwan Bluthenthal in a Gaslamp District building last year. The verdict, delivered in a San Diego court, concludes a trial stemming from an Aug. 3, 2025, confrontation on the third floor of a commercial building at 701 Fifth Avenue.
Trial Evidence and Confrontation Details
According to a prosecution trial brief cited by The San Diego Union-Tribune, Tyner and two women had been drinking at one of the building’s bars for hours prior to the shooting. Minutes before the incident, a witness observed Tyner holding a firearm, while surveillance footage showed the two women and another man attempting to calm down an agitated Tyner. The confrontation escalated when Bluthenthal, a stranger to Tyner, walked through the third-floor hallway. Prosecutors stated that Tyner tapped Bluthenthal on the back as he passed. When Bluthenthal raised his hand to stop Tyner from advancing, Tyner knocked the arm away, prompting Bluthenthal to punch Tyner, according to the prosecution brief.
Shooting and Legal Charges
After being punched, Bluthenthal walked away from the encounter. Prosecutors said Tyner then produced a handgun from a cross-body satchel, followed Bluthenthal, and shot him. The victim died at the scene. During the investigation, Tyner told law enforcement that Bluthenthal became angry and confrontational after an accidental bump. Tyner claimed that Bluthenthal punched him and placed his hands around his neck, asserting that he fired his weapon in self-defense, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. Alongside the first-degree murder conviction, jurors found Tyner guilty of carrying a concealed firearm and brandishing a firearm. He is scheduled to be sentenced in November 2026.
