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Reports: Miami 'zombie' attacker may have been using 'bath salts'
A naked man who chewed off the face of another man in what is being called a zombie-like attack may have been under the influence of "bath salts," a drug referred to as the new LSD, according to reports from CNN affiliates in Miami.
Why 'bath salts' are dangerous
The horrific attack occurred Saturday and was only stopped after a police officer shot the attacker several times, killing him.
'Zombie apocalypse' trending as bad news spreads quickly
Larry Vega witnessed the attack on Miami's MacArthur Causeway. He told CNN affiliate WSVN he saw one naked man chewing off the face of another naked man.
Rudy Eugene
"The guy was like tearing him to pieces with his mouth, so I told him, 'Get off!'" Vega told WSVN. "You know it's like the guy just kept eating the other guy away, like ripping his skin."
"It was just a blob of blood," WSVN quoted Vega as saying. "You couldn't really see, it was just blood all over the place."
Vega said he flagged down a passing police officer.
"When the officer approached him, told him to stop, pointed a gun at him, he turned around and growled like a wild animal and kept eating at the man's face," Fraternal Order of Police President Armando Aguilar told CNN affiliate WPLG.
The attacker was identified by Miami-Dade Police as 31-year-old Rudy Eugene. Miami-Dade referred CNN to Miami Police for all other details of the investigation.
Augilar said he suspects the attacker was under the influence of "bath salts." Four other drug use instances in Miami-Dade bear resemblances to Saturday's attack, he told WPLG.
"It causes them to go completely insane and become very violent" and take off their clothes, Augilar told WPLG.
Dr. Paul Adams, an emergency room physician at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, told CNN affiliate WFOR that the drug makes users delirious. They exhibit elevated temperatures and extreme physical strength, Adams said.
“I took care of a 150 pound individual who you would have thought he was 250 pounds,” WFOR quoted Adams as saying. “It took six security officers to restrain the individual.”
Adams said users have been known to use their jaws as weapons, according to WFOR.
According to a 2011 report from the National Institute of Drug Abuse, bath salts contain amphetamine-like chemicals.
"Doctors and clinicians at U.S. poison centers have indicated that ingesting or snorting 'bath salts' containing synthetic stimulants can cause chest pains, increased blood pressure, increased heart rate, agitation, hallucinations, extreme paranoia, and delusions," according to the NIDA report.
In October, the Drug Enforcement Administration made possession of the stimulants in bath salts, Mephedrone, 3,4 methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) and Methylone, illegal under an emergency order. The order lasts for a year with a possible six-month extension.
The stimulants have been placed under restrictions or banned in 37 states, according to a DEA press release.
The victim of Saturday's attack, whom police have not identified, was in critical condition at Jackson Memorial on Monday, according to the WPLG report. Augilar told WPLG that 75% to 80% of his face was missing.
Eugene had an arrest record, mostly misdemeanors, including a battery charge from when he was 16 that was later dropped, according to the Miami Herald.
He had been married but divorced in 2007, WPLG reported. His former wife told the station that Eugene had been violent toward her.
Homeless people near where the attack took place said Eugene was often seen around the area looking confused, according to WPLG.
Ive heard horror stories regarding others who've used bath salts. Obviously nothing to this degree though.
So the report was Bath Salts because there were some similar incidents with Weirdos that were on bath salts another time, even though those reports were not actually Bath Salts.... jesus, can we get some facts in these reports please? Like: What the toxicology confirms ZOMBIE DUDE was taking? And, can journalists not use phrases like "The New LSD" that will tempt youngsters into trying ZOMBIE RAMPAGE? Some reporters have no sense of fact or logic or common well being?
Of course not. The number one priority is to write the story in such a way that will make people have an emotional reaction and come back to read more. The number two priority is to write the story in such a way that the reader will interpret the information the way the writer wants them to. The number 3 priority is to report the actual story, with undesirable portions omitted and desirable portions exaggerated. And all three priorities go hand in hand as one.
This article has made it to the dkmvs page for it's comparing of a zombie-making drug with LSD! Seriously, what a dick move. Vote it up if you agree! http://dkmvs.com/posts/1820-may-heard-zombie-man-miami
I dont remember hearing any stories of "zombie like behavior" associated with LSD... if this is the "new LSD"... maybe we should just bring back the original.
Now there's a great idea. Did you know that previous to being made illegal, LSD was being used in conjunction with psychiatry to help alcoholics kick the habit? Back in the 60's or 70's while it was still allowed to be used by doctors they had an over 50% success rate. To put that into perspective, AA has never had anything even close to that.
Was they ever a picture takin of the man that was earring the man's face?
The problem is directly the result of a defective judicial system. Judges are telling these criminals to keep their noses clean and they wont go back to jail and now they are snorting bath salts!!!!
i think the real problem with this story is that it gives bath salts a bad rep. bath salts didnt eat a mans face, eugene did. the man had a history of violence so its not like it was purely the drug. i love using bath salts. me and my wife have used them sense they came on the market and we even let our 8 year old daughter, erica, use them every now and then. none of us have ever eaten anyones face and we are all perfectly healthy.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!?! @BathSaltUser. HOW COULD YOU GIVE AN 8 YEAR OLD BATH SALTS?!?!?! She is going to be effed up for LIFE. psychologically and physically. That stuff is insanely toxic if nothing else. Trust me, I'm an ex-addict myself. You need to be arrested and seriously educated about how sickening this is...
you can smoke the real marijuana and it will not kill you but if you snort the fake cocaine it will kill you to all of the teens out there if you are using drugs ask an adult before using them some of the warning labels are not always accurate seriously smokey the bear said only you can prevent forest fires
Sounds like PCP to me.
This guy was on bath salts or something, which from my understanding completely alters your world and perceptions, and he ate a mans face. Who knows, whatever world he was in maybe he was an animal eating a meal... and it happened to be a human in real life.
Sounds like none of you have tried this drug, myself included, but how can you be so quick to assume that you know exactly what is going on? A mind on drugs is a wild thing.
Until this victim turns into a flesh eating monster, I am not convinced this is a zombie attack or the beginning of a zombie apocalypse.
Oh, Look, another idiot that those zany straight people gave birth too, but wont allow gays to get married.. HMMMMM....
Or maybe, he's just crazy and his brain is mush.
Good god... Reavers!
Nice Joss Whedon reference. Keep in mind those were cannibals not zombies. "If we're lucky, they"ll do it in that order".
Face Eating Zombie! I gotta get down to Miami. Been playing Day Z all week and I'm ready for some real life action.
I'm sure the Umbrella Corporation is behind these "Bath Salts".