Man Accused of Removing IV to Use Blood as Weapon, Say Police

A North Carolina man is accused of using his “HIV positive blood” as a weapon against hospital workers by “removing his IV from his arm” and then “spraying” it into the eyes of two different people treating him for “diabetic reasons,” cops say.

“He aimed his HIV positive blood at the victims’ eyes,” an arrest warrant states about Kameron Gilchrist, 25, who faces felony charges for assaulting emergency personnel. Cops say a man and a woman employed at UNC Rex Hospital in Raleigh were attacked while treating Gilchrist in March.

“On or about the date of offense shown … [Gilchrist] unlawfully, willfully, and feloniously did assault [the workers] … by spraying HIV blood into eyes,” police allege about both victims, according to the warrant.

The attack caused “irritation and exposure to HIV,” though it’s unclear whether the employees contracted the virus. Police did not respond to requests for comment by Law&Crime on Wednesday.

Gilchrist was in the middle of receiving diabetic treatment when he set upon the two workers “by removing his IV from his arm, which he aimed his HIV positive blood at the victims’ eyes, which entered [the workers’] eyes,” according to police.

Gilchrist, who was arrested in September, was not immediately taken into custody because he was receiving medical and psychiatric treatment at the time, local NBC affiliate WRAL reports. Officials with UNC Rex Hospital told the outlet that violence against medical personnel has been on the rise, but they couldn’t comment on what happened with Gilchrist due to the investigation and active case.

The hospital said that protecting the health and safety of its employees is a top priority and it is working closely with its security teams and law enforcement to keep everyone safe in wake of the attacks.

Gilchrist has been behind bars on a $25,000 bond and is due in court on Dec. 8.