Police in North Carolina say a deaf man was stabbed several times after his sign language was mistaken for gang signs by another man. Burlington Police Sgt. Mark Yancey said 45-year-old Terrance Ervin Daniels was using sign language with another deaf man.
He said a third person saw them, thought they were flashing gang signs and stabbed Daniels with a kitchen knife.
A neighbor saw the victim and called emergency personnel. Daniels is in stable condition at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill after Wednesday’s incident.
Police arrested 22-year Robert Jarell Neal and charged him with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury and felony assault on a handicapped person.
Cathy Sanford of Maple Ave. said she was in her home when she heard her dog barking.
When she looked in the backyard she saw a man later identified as Neal running though it just minutes after the stabbing reportedly took place.
Sanford reported the incident to police after Neal returned and threatened her 12-year-old granddaughter. Officers found Neal in Elon where he was taken into custody without incident.
He’s being held in the Alamance County jail on a $500,000 secure bond. It’s not known if Neal has an attorney.
Stephen Willard | Elite.
