LETHBRIDGE -- A 29-year-old Lethbridge man is facing numerous assault charges after police say blood and other fluids were sprayed in a security guard's face from a syringe at the supervised consumption site in the southern Alberta city.
A security guard at the site in the 1000 block of First Avenue S. approached a male in the waiting room about 6 a.m. Tuesday after he observed the man allegedly injecting himself.
Because drug use is only allowed in the consumption area, the man was told to stop.
"He subsequently became agitated and shot the contents of the syringe including blood and other fluids, into the security guard’s face before being taken into custody," reads a police release.
Lethbridge Police Sgt. Bruce Hagel says this first time an attack like this has happened at the supervised consumption site.
“People with weapons fight, but as far as very similar incidents like this with, you know, a syringe … it’s a first of its kind,” he said.
The 22-year-old security guard was taken to Chinook Regional Hospital where he was treated and released. Officials say he will require ongoing treatment as a result of the exposure.
Police arrested a suspect at the supervised consumption site and seized a syringe.
Wade Allan Nicholas Cross Child, 29, is charged with:
- Aggravated assault
- Assault causing bodily harm
- Assault with a weapon
Cross Child was initially released with numerous conditions but police said he was re-arrested within an hour was in connection with an alleged theft. He remained in custody Wednesday morning awaiting a bail hearing.
With files from CTV News Lethbridge's Cimon Charest
