A Tampa man has been arrested and charged with multiple felonies after allegedly poisoning his neighbor with opioids.
The victim, Umar Abdullah, told police that his downstairs neighbor, Xuming Li, had been complaining about noise coming from his apartment for months. Abdullah said he eventually realized that the noise complaints were unfounded, and that Li was harassing him.
Who is Xuming Li? Tampa Man Arrested for Allegedly Poisoning Neighbor with Opioids
In June 2023, Abdullah said he and his family began to feel sick. They experienced nausea, vomiting, and fatigue. Abdullah’s friend also smelled chemicals when she went to his apartment while he was on vacation.
Abdullah called several professionals to try to find the source of the smell, but no one could identify it. He eventually installed a hidden camera outside his door, which captured footage of Li injecting a liquid into the crack in Abdullah’s doorframe.
The liquid was later identified as a mixture of methadone and hydrocodone, both opioid pain medications.
Li was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance, burglary, and aggravated battery. He is out on bond and his next hearing is scheduled for December 5.
Li’s attorney has said that his client is innocent and that “all of the facts will come in due course of time.”