A Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Health nurse has been fired after posting disturbing social media videos that outlined methods to harm or incapacitate Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
On Tuesday morning, VCU Health and VCU Police launched an investigation into the viral posts made by an identified employee on a now-deleted TikTok account under the name Redheadredemption, and by Tuesday night, the hospital confirmed to Fox News Digital that the individual was no longer employed after the investigation concluded.
As reported by Fox News, the issue has ignited fierce debate over professional ethics and the boundaries of free speech, especially when content appears to advocate harm against federal officers.
The videos, first highlighted by the X account LibsOfTikTok, caused widespread outrage online with a compilation of three clips showing the nurse suggesting harmful tactics. One video, captioned with hashtags like “#ice” and “#sabotage,” described using syringes filled with saline or succinylcholine—a paralytic drug with effects lasting four to six minutes—as a potential deterrent.
“Have them full of saline or succinylcholine, you know, whatever. That will probably be a deterrent,” the nurse stated in the video, adding a casual “Be safe” at the end. If the intent was to shock, it worked—but not in the way one might hope for from a healthcare professional.
In a second video under the hashtag “#resist,” the nurse, dressed in scrubs, proposed mixing poison ivy or oak into water for use in a water gun aimed at faces and hands. It’s a tactic more suited to a prankster’s playbook than a medical worker’s ethos, raising serious questions about judgment.
A third clip, captioned “#staytoxic,” took an even darker turn, urging single women to date ICE agents via apps like Tinder, then spike their drinks with laxatives to “incapacitate them” and keep them “off the street.” “Get them sick. Nobody’s going to die,” the nurse said, calling it “highly, easily deniable.”
That same video went further, suggesting targeting places where ICE agents eat or stay, even probing who prepares their meals. This isn’t just mischief—it’s a calculated call to disrupt lives, cloaked in a veneer of plausible deniability.
VCU Health moved quickly, placing the employee on administrative leave during the investigation, ensuring no contact with patients or facilities. Their Tuesday night statement was unequivocal: “Following an investigation, the individual involved in the social media videos is no longer employed by VCU Health,” as shared with Fox News Digital.
The hospital also emphasized compliance with Virginia state law reporting requirements, signaling this wasn’t just a personnel matter but one with broader legal implications. It’s a relief to see an institution prioritize accountability over sweeping such behavior under the rug.
VCU’s earlier statement underscored their values, noting the content was “highly inappropriate” and did not reflect the health system’s integrity. In a world where trust in medical professionals is paramount, this breach feels like a gut punch to those who rely on caregivers.
Let’s be clear: advocating harm, even under the guise of “resistance,” crosses a dangerous line, especially from someone in a position of care. The nurse’s casual tone in these videos only amplifies the recklessness—healthcare isn’t a game of gotcha.
While personal opinions on immigration policy vary widely, using one’s professional platform to suggest sabotage undermines the very foundation of public safety. ICE agents, whatever one’s view on their mission, are federal employees doing a job—often a thankless one.
This incident at VCU Health serves as a stark reminder that social media isn’t a free-for-all, particularly for those in sensitive roles. Actions have consequences, and in this case, a career was rightfully ended over content that veered far beyond acceptable discourse.