Deadly Toxin Ricin Found in Las Vegas Hotel Room

Las Vegas police revealed today that a man is in critical condition after having stayed in a motel room where vials of ricin, a deadly poison, were later found. The victim, who has yet to be named by police, called for an ambulance two weeks ago when he was staying in the room.

The man complained of breathing difficulties. Another man who identified himself as a relative stopped by the room to retrieve the victim's belongings. The room had been unoccupied since the victim was taken in to hospital care, but when the relative stopped by to pick up his things, he discovered vials of powder in a plastic bag.

It was confirmed on Friday by local health officials that the powder found is ricin. Six other people, including 3 police officers and 3 hotel staff, have been hospitalized in relation to the incident, but only as a precautionary measure. The man who stayed in the room is currently in critical condition.

An FBI spokesman, Richard Kolko, told press today that the FBI is assisting local police in the investigation, and that "this event does not appear to be terrorism related."

The ricin, along with some castor beans from which the substance is made, were found at the Extended Stay America Motel, which is not too far from the famous Las Vegas Strip.

Ricin is a very dangerous and deadly substance, and has extremely limited legal uses. Other than cancer research, ricin has no medical uses. Captain Joseph Lombardo of the Las Vegas police said, “An individual citizen, other than being involved in cancer research or cancer prevention, would not have any legal means or proper means for having that.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, death from ricin poisoning "could take place within 36 to 72 hours of exposure, depending on the route of exposure (inhalation, ingestion, or injection) and the dose received. If death has not occurred in 3 to 5 days, the victim usually recovers."

As little as a thousandth of a gram of ricin can kill an adult, and it can be deadly if eaten, inhaled, or injected. Symptoms of ricin poisoning include flu-like symptoms which develop within a few hours, including fever, vomiting, and coughing. It can ultimately cause the lungs, liver, kidneys, and immune system to fail.

Ricin has also be used in the past for attacks, and has been suggested as a potential biological weapon. However, although highly toxic, the substance is more suitable to assassination of individuals, rather than mass attacks.

Iraq had previously experimented with using ricin in artillery shells, but was not able to make it work. The attempt here was to get the toxin in the air, as ricin can be fatal if inhaled.

Ricin has actually been used before as a weapon. Ricin was found in the country of Afghanistan after the fall of the Taleban Government, and was used to kill Bulgarian dissident Georgi Marko in London in 1978. In this case, a small amount was placed inside a pellet and injected into his leg with a modified umbrella.

Just what the ricin was doing in a Las Vegas hotel room, however, has yet to be revealed. As police and the FBI continue their investigations, we'll keep you updated.

Further information about ricin, as well as the signs and symptoms of possible exposure to the substance can be found at the CDC website.