San Diego Superior Court. (File photo by Chris Stone/Times of San Diego)
A judge declined Wednesday to set bail for a defendant suspected of fatally shooting a man in a Gaslamp Quarter building.
The circumstances of the slaying of Antwan Eugene Bluthenthal, 46, were not discussed in court by attorneys when Brian Tyner, 37, pleaded not guilty to a murder charge in San Diego Superior Court.
Bluthenthal was shot around 5:20 p.m. Sunday on the third floor of the building at G Street and Sixth Avenue, which is home to several businesses.
Both Bluthenthal and Tyner are believed to have visited a bar, Cielo Rooftop Lounge, at the downtown building on Sunday, but the shooting took place below the establishment.
In a statement, Cielo officials said “We want to clarify while Cielo operates on the fifth floor, the incident took place on the third floor in a separate area of the building. We are fully cooperating with law enforcement and will continue working with authorities to ensure everyone’s safety. Our hearts go out to all those affected and their families.”
A family friend of the victim talked to reporters outside the courtroom and said Bluthenthal worked in the Veteran’s Administration hospital as a respiratory technician. He was married and became a father of an infant daughter several months ago, he said.
“He didn’t know this guy,” said the family friend, who did not want to give his name, but added that he believed that security was lacking at the bar.
Tyner also pleaded not guilty to carrying a concealed weapon into the bar.
“It is inconceivable how much impact this is having on his family,” said Deputy District Attorney Oscar Hagstrom. “There are a lot of facts and circumstances that I cannot discuss.”
San Diego Superior Court Judge Euketa Oliver set a preliminary hearing for Jan. 13, 2026. Tyner, who remains behind bars, appeared in court in jail clothing.
Attorney Leah Gonzalez, who represents Tyner, started off the arraignment by noting that the judge was a prosecutor 18 years ago when Bluthenthal was a witness in a case Oliver was involved in when she worked for the District Attorney’s office.
Oliver said she reviewed material the attorney sent her, but she does not remember the case nor the victim’s name. She said she could be fair. Hagstrom said he wasn’t concerned about the issue.
Tyner waived his right to a speedy trial. If convicted of first-degree murder, he faces a sentence of 25 years to life in prison.