Xin Tong Msu Charges Follow Wells Hall Evacuation
Michigan State University police said xin tong msu led to felony charges against 31-year-old Xin Tong after an investigation tied to Wells Hall. The building was evacuated Monday after officers encountered an unidentified chemical, then stayed closed while police and safety staff worked inside.
MSU Department of Police and Public Safety Chief Mike Yankowski said Wednesday evening that Tong was charged with malicious destruction of a building over $20,000 and felony controlled substance-operate/maintain lab involving methamphetamine. Wells Hall had originally been set to reopen Tuesday, but MSU kept it closed all week.
Mike Yankowski on Wells Hall
Yankowski said police made contact with the suspect inside Wells Hall on Sunday. He added, "Due to the fact that this is an open and active investigation, we are limited in the information we can share".
MSU police said they identified multiple substances that can be legally purchased in retail stores or online. The chemicals included sodium hydroxide pellets, hydrochloric acid, methanol, isopropyl alcohol, acetone, and butane.
Wells Hall and MSU DPS
MSU said the Office of Environmental Health and Safety performed multiple tests and found the environment in Wells Hall did not pose a risk to the community. Authorities also said there continued to be no risk to the campus community and that safety remained their top priority.
The closure lasted beyond the original Tuesday reopening plan because DPPS needed to gather evidence, Environmental Health and Safety needed to inspect the building, and staff needed to clean and assess damage to flooring, fixtures, and other surfaces. Wells Hall is MSU’s largest academic building, so the evacuation and cleanup affected a major campus space while the case moved into the charging stage.
Xin Tong charges
Tong now faces two felony counts tied to the investigation: malicious destruction of a building over $20,000 and felony controlled substance-operate/maintain lab involving methamphetamine. MSU tied those charges to the Sunday contact with police, the Monday evacuation, and the continued closure that followed as investigators worked through the building.
