A Duquesne University student allegedly tried to poison his roommate with bleach and laxatives after the roommate moved some of the suspect's papers, according to a criminal complaint filed this week by university police.
The student, a freshman from Plum, admitted to university police that he poured bleach and laxatives into his roommate's Brita water purifier pitcher after the roommate twice moved some of his papers — including once after the suspect alleged to have asked him to stop.
The Tribune-Review is withholding the name of the 18-year-old suspect as he has since voluntarily checked himself in to a psychiatric unit.
The victim told police that he poured water from his pitcher into a bottle on Sept. 1 but noticed it smelled of bleach, according to the criminal complaint.
He did not drink the water.
The suspect told police that “he is a very habitually neat and orderly person,” according to the complaint, and his roommate's moving of his papers angered him to the point that he attempted to poison the roommate.
He told police he did not want to kill his roommate; rather, he hates direct conflict and “will keep things inside,” according to the complaint.
He said his anxiety and anger and suicidal and homicidal thoughts have become more intense recently.
The suspect is charged with aggravated assault and reckless endangerment.
Megan Guza is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach her at 412-380-8519, mguza@tribweb.com or via Twitter @meganguzaTrib.
