PA - Authorities Say Chinese Student Who Poisoned His Roommate May Have a Second Victim

Authorities are looking at the possibility that there might be a second student who was also poisoned by the 22-year-old Chinese national student who majors in Chemistry after allegations that he had tried killing his roommate by poisoning him.

Yukai Yang, a former Lehigh University student, was charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, ethnic intimidation and other charges. The DA says he tried to poison his longtime roommate from the university with the dangerous chemical thallium. Thallium was once used as a rat poison for households.

Student in roommate poisoning case eyed in possible 2nd attack https://t.co/xU6HVGWIvw pic.twitter.com/JM5kac9u75

— NBC Chicago (@nbcchicago) December 28, 2018

A senior chemistry major, Yang is accused of poisoning his roommate’s food, drink and mouthwash with thallium in a span of several months. As a result of the vile acts, the victim suffered from bouts of dizziness and vomiting. It is suspected that Yang bought the odorless, colorless poison online.

The Chinese student has posted $200,000 bail. He is hoping he would only be deported to China to avoid a prosecution in the U.S.

Authorities got wind of his plans, however, and he was returned to local custody from federal immigration custody to the Northampton County Jail in Pennsylvania.

District Attorney John Morganelli said that their investigation on a possible second case of poisoning involving another victim is still in its early stages.

Morganelli warns that Yang will not be able to outmaneuver the proceedings against him. He also said that he believes that it was the Chinese student’s mother who posted the hefty cash bail the past week.

Prior to the poisoning charges, Yang was initially charged this spring with vandalism and ethnic intimidation after his black roommate of several years found racist graffiti in the room.

The roommate has since graduated but continues to suffer from the harsh effects of the poisoning.

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