The 19-year-old UBC student accused of making threats that shut down the biosciences building at UBC was a brilliant and friendly student, who was under a lot of pressure from his family to succeed, says a former classmate.

Friends of Hwi Lee say he is an outstanding student in math and sciences.
(Gleneagle Yearbook)

Christopher Xiao said he's stunned by the allegations against Hwi Lee, who was his friend at Gleneagle Secondary in Coquitlam.

"[I am] very, very, very shocked, because here was a guy that we knew was very friendly, very helpful and nobody expected such a smart guy like him to ever step outside the socially acceptable line," Xiao told CBC reporter Robert Zimmerman on Monday.

Lee is now facing two counts of uttering threats and two counts of mischief in relation to the incidents on Jan. 29 and Feb. 6.
 
According to Xiao, Lee was a math whiz who was always willing to help classmates with schoolwork.

"Every time me or my friends required help with chemistry or mathematics or physics, he was always the first person we would go to, and he would always assist us with a smile on his face. So something like this was completely unexpected, it was an absolute shock for me," said Xiao, who is now a student at the University of Victoria.

"He was the only person in the entire school to score 100 per cent in chemistry, as well as 100 per cent in physics and 100 per cent in math," said Xiao.

Published rankings show Lee was in the top tier of a national math contest for three years in a row and he also competed in the National Mathematical Olympiad.

Hwi Lee, 19, was a student at UBC at the time of the alleged threats.
(Gleneagle Yearbook)

"He's a very kind and decent human being," said Xiao.

But Lee was also under a lot of pressure at home, according to his high school friend.

"His parents wanted him to be a doctor, as well, and naturally that comes with a lot of stress," said Xiao.

Police have yet to release any details about the alleged threats or any possible motives, but on Monday they advised UBC students under stress to seek counselling from UBC student services.

Lee is scheduled to appear in court on March 20. His bail conditions prohibit him from returning to UBC, and school officials said they were considering a formal expulsion.

The first incident occurred on Jan. 30, when the RCMP were notified of a threat directed at the university's biosciences building. As a result, police locked down and evacuated the building for several hours.

A second less specific threat was made to the university on Feb. 6. That also required a significant police response and the biosciences building was closed for the day.