A Queen’s University graduate student admitted in court Thursday to poisoning another graduate student researcher last January.
On Jan. 29, Kingston police arrested and charged Ziejie Wang, a 25-year-old graduate student from Queen’s University, for allegedly administering a noxious substance to the victim. The two men had apparently once lived together and worked as graduate researchers in the Queen’s chemistry department.
Back in January, investigators were called to the university to meet with security after a graduate student noticed his lunch and water had a bitter and chemical taste, making him feel ill on more than one occasion. This pattern went on for several weeks before the students alerted the authorities.
The man then set up a hidden video camera near his desk, which allegedly caught Wang on tape putting a clear substance in the victim’s lunch. Kingston police arrested Wang the same day at his home.
Wang was released by a court shortly after, despite police contesting his release.
WATCH: Queen’s graduate student poisoned by fellow student, police say
On April 5, Kingston police received a completed forensic report on the victim’s belongings that were supposedly poisoned. Police say they found a noxious substance found in the victim’s water, food and the containers that was highly volatile and that could potentially have dangerous side effects.
The substance, called N-Nitrosodimethylamine, is toxic and is known to cause cancer. It is used sometimes to cause cancer in rats for research purposes.
Wang was additionally charged in April with assault with a weapon, aggravated assault, and criminal negligence causing bodily harm. He was arrested for the second time on April 12.
Wang, now 26, pleaded guilty to all those charges on Thursday, and will appear in a Kingston court in on Nov. 2 for sentencing.