Southeast student charged after alleged threats to roommates

A Southeast Missouri State University student faces charges after he allegedly threatened to rape and kill his roommates.

Sinuo Li, 25, of Cape Girardeau has been charged with third-degree assault in the Saturday incident.

Li's roommates, Yuangianzi Yan and Qiu Zinn, said Li got angry about 5 p.m. Saturday at their home on South Park Avenue in Cape Girardeau and threatened multiple times to rape Yan and kill Zinn, according to a probable-cause statement filed in the case.

Zinn and Yan told the responding officer they were afraid of Li's threats and believed he was capable of following through on them; they obviously were afraid and apprehensive about Li returning to the house, the statement said.

A witness to the threats, Angi Chen, said Li told her several times he almost raped Yan and wanted to kill Zinn because Li liked Yan, according to the statement.

In his probable-cause statement, the officer noted Li could pose a danger because he had no other place to live, and all involved in the incident have classes together.

Li has been ordered to have no direct or indirect contact with Zinn or Yan and to stay at least 500 feet away from the residence and the victims' places of employment.

His bond has been set at $1,500.

Cpl. Darin Hickey, public information officer with the Cape Girardeau Police Department, said police notified the foreign exchange student program at Southeast of the incident.

The Offce of Student Conduct's sexual assault guidelines state "Reports of sexual misconduct will be considered to have a substantial impact on the campus community and will be investigated fully regardless of whether the incident occurs on or off campus."

A phone call and email to the campus department of public safety were unreturned Monday.

kwebster@semissourian.com

388-3646

Pertinent address:

101 S. Park Ave., Cape Girardeau, MO