Police warned a group of Bay Area oncologists to protect themselves after discovering a man with terminal cancer was plotting to kill them, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Yue Chen was arrested hours after police issued the warning May 31 about 20 miles outside of Palo Alto, Calif., on southbound Highway 101. He is currently being held at Santa Clara County Jail without bond, and has been charged with three counts of premeditated attempted murder.
Authorities found a white rubber mask, two loaded guns and a notebook with the names and addresses of several physicians in his car, according to the report. They also found a note titled "Why do I kill," which included Mr. Chen's justification for his plan to murder the physicians, suggesting that was the consequence for treating a person "like an animal," court documents say, according to the report.
The targeted oncologists include those who had treated Mr. Chen's Stage IV cancer the year before. While in custody, Mr. Chen told investigators that the physicians treated him like a "laboratory monkey" for experimentation. He believed the providers had damaged his spine to provide learning opportunities for physicians in training.
Mr. Chen's family reported him missing the morning of May 31. Police alerted people in the Bay Area after arriving at his home and discovering evidence of his murder plot. Such evidence includes a typed note that said Mr. Chen "had to kill these doctors today because they are evil," according to court documents cited by the Los Angeles Times.
If convicted, Mr. Chen could face life in prison with the opportunity for parole in 21 years, according to the report.