Easton, PA — Yukai Yang, a 22-year old former Lehigh University student who is Chinese, allegedly tried to kill his roommate Juwan Royal, who is Black, by slowly poisoning him for years. Yang has since been charged with attempted homicide, among other offenses.
Thallium, a chemical used in electrics manufacturing, is an odorless and tasteless chemical that can be fatal when ingested by humans. It was used for rat poison before but was eventually banned for such use due to its toxicity. Even touching it could cause heart disease, brain damage, skin illness, delirium, and death.
Royal started feeling unwell and having a burning sensation in his mouth whenever he tries to eat or drink in his senior year. He gradually experienced more symptoms including dizziness, vomiting, and even passing out. Still, he didn’t suspect Yang to do that to him at that time.
Royal began feeling better after graduating as he was seeking medical treatment. His blood tested positive for toxic levels of thallium at 3.6 per liter. The doctors told him that someone might have been trying to kill him with the very dangerous poison.
Yang, who admitted to lacing Royal’s food and drinks, initially said that the chemical was intended for himself in case he did poorly on his final exams. He was charged with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, simple assault, and reckless endangerment. His student visa has also been revoked and his bail is set to $200,000.
Moreover, Yang was the one responsible for writing a racial slur on Royal’s desk on a separate incident that happened before the poisoning. He was then charged with misdemeanor charges including ethnic intimidation, institutional vandalism, and criminal mischief, and was suspended and banned from the school.
Meanwhile, Royal, who thought he and Yang were friends, was “dumbfounded” when he learned that Yang was the one who attempted to kill him, according to the prosecutors.
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