DA: Former Lehigh student used chemicals to poison roommate

DA: Former Lehigh student used chemicals to poison roommate

VIDEO DA: Former Lehigh student used chemicals to poison roommate

WATCH: DA John Morganelli announces attempted homicide charges

EASTON, Pa. - A former Lehigh University student has been charged with attempted homicide for allegedly poisoning his roommate with chemicals.

Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli announced the charges against Yukai Yang, 22, during a news conference Thursday morning.

Yang, a chemistry major, is accused of putting the chemical thallium in food and drinks to poison his roommate at Lehigh over the past few months.

For months, the victim said he had felt sick after drinking milk, water or after using mouthwash.

Yang's roommate reported feeling dizzy, shaky and throwing up, and was taken to the hospital during at least one of the incidents.

Police responded to the same room multiple times for his illness, including one incident of vandalism, allegedly committed by Yang.

Yang was charged in April with ethnic intimidation, institutional vandalism and criminal mischief, for allegedly damaging his roommate's things and writing a racially-biased message on his desk.

A blood test in April showed the victim tested positive for thallium, at a toxic rate of 3.6 micrograms per liter.

Morganelli said Yang kept adding the colorless and odorless chemical to his roommate's food and drinks, poisoning him, and the victim got worse over time. Initially, Yang told investigators he believed someone was tampering with their items, including milk and the roommate's mouthwash.

Yang later admitted to police he purchased the drug online, but said he originally planned on poisoning himself if he did poorly on exams.

The roommate, who graduated from Lehigh in spring 2018, is still suffering from physical symptoms today, Morganelli said. He experienced extreme pain in his lower extremities, and severe burning and numbness. Thallium can affect the nervous system, lungs, heart, kidney and liver and can lead to death.

Yang was an international student from China studying at Lehigh on a student visa. He was roommates and friends with the victim for several years, Morganelli said. The student visa has since been revoked.

Yang is charged with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, simple assault and reckless endangerment, as well as his previous charges from April.

Lehigh University released this statement Thursday morning:

The Lehigh University Police Department has worked closely with the District Attorney's Office on the investigation and will continue to do so. From the outset, our concern has been the health and safety of the victim of these alleged behaviors and, as such, Lehigh staff and faculty have been providing support, services and assistance.