Indiana University student stabbed in the head in ‘racially motivated’ attack
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The student was waiting for the Bloomington Transit bus’ doors to open when she was stabbed in the head several times.
PHOTO: INDIANA UNIVERSITY/FACEBOOK
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INDIANA - An Indiana University student was stabbed in the head while riding a bus in Bloomington, Indiana, last Wednesday in an unprovoked attack that officials described as a “racially motivated incident”.
The student, an 18-year-old woman who was not publicly identified, was waiting for the Bloomington Transit bus’ doors to open at 4.45pm when she was stabbed in the head several times, the Bloomington Police Department said in a statement on Thursday.
After the attack, another bus passenger followed the suspect on foot and helped officers detain the person, Billie R Davis, 56, of Bloomington, police said.
Davis was charged with attempted murder, aggravated battery and battery with a deadly weapon, according to court documents. Video footage from inside the bus revealed that Davis and the victim had not interacted before the attack, police said.
Davis reportedly told the Bloomington Police Department that she attacked the student for “being Chinese”.
The student was taken to a hospital. Her condition was not available on Sunday. The university did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Governor Eric Holcomb of Indiana signed in 2019 a hate crime law that imposes longer sentences for crimes motivated by bias, including because of race. It was unclear whether it could be used in the case against Davis.
The Bloomington Police Department and lawyers for Davis did not respond to requests for comment Sunday.
Mayor John Hamilton of Bloomington said in a statement that the stabbing was a “brutal attack”.
“This behaviour is not acceptable and will be dealt with accordingly,” Mr Hamilton said. “We know when a racially motivated incident like this resonates throughout the community, it can leave us feeling less safe. We stand with the Asian community and all who feel threatened by this event.”
Mr James C Wimbush, a vice president of diversity, equity and multicultural affairs at Indiana University, said in a statement on Friday that the attack was a reminder “that anti-Asian hate is real and can have painful impacts on individuals and our community”.
The attack in Bloomington comes amid a rise in hate crimes targeting Asians. The increase in attacks prompted federal lawmakers last year to pass the Covid-19 Hate Crimes Act, which gave government and law enforcement officials more tools and resources to work to stop, monitor and react to such crimes.
The Indiana University Asian Culture Centre, a resource organisation on campus, said in a statement on Friday that it was “outraged and heartbroken by this unprovoked act of violence”. NYTIMES
