After an 18-year-old Indiana University student was stabbed in the head on a public bus, the school claims the attack was motivated by the victim’s Asian background. A 56-year-old woman has been charged.
According to a press release issued by Bloomington police, the victim told investigators that she was standing on a Bloomington Transit bus waiting for the exit doors to open when another passenger began striking her in the head.
Prior to the attack, there was no interaction between the two women as captured on bus surveillance footage.
Following the woman’s attacker, a witness who was also on the bus called the police, who then arrested Bloomington resident Billie R. Davis. According to court records, Davis has been charged with aggravated battery and attempted murder.
Multiple stab wounds required hospital treatment for the victim. Her identity was withheld.
According to WNDU-TV, Davis stated that the victim was targeted due to her race in court documents.
According to court records, Davis told police that she used a folding knife to stab the woman multiple times in the head because “it would be one less person to blow up our country,” according to WRTV-TV.
Davis was not represented by an attorney in the records.
In a statement, Indiana University Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Multicultural Affairs James Wimbush stated, “This week, Bloomington was sadly reminded that anti-Asian hate is real and can have painful impacts on individuals and our community.” No one should be subjected to harassment or violence because of their heritage, ethnicity, or background. Instead, the wide range of identities and perspectives that make up our campus and community culture make the Bloomington and IU communities stronger.
