Deaf man stabbed after his sign language was mistaken for gang signs, North Carolina police say

(AP) BURLINGTON, N.C. - Police in Burlington say a deaf man was stabbed several times after his sign language was mistaken for gang signs by another man on January 9th.

Sgt. Mark Yancey said 45-year-old Terrance Ervin Daniels was using sign language with another deaf man. A third person saw them, thought they were flashing gang signs and stabbed Daniels several times with a kitchen knife. A neighbor saw the victim and called emergency personnel.

Daniels was brought to UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill and was listed in stable condition after the incident.

Police arrested 22-year-old Robert Jarell Neal and charged him with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and inflicting serious injury and felony assault on a handicapped person. He was in the Alamance County jail Friday night on a $500,000 bond. It's not known if Neal has an attorney.