Woman allegedly stabbed Asian student because it would be 'one less person to blow up our country'

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (TCD) -- A 56-year-old woman faces a federal hate crime charge after allegedly stabbing an Asian Indiana University student in the head earlier this year.

According to the Bloomington Police Department, on Jan. 11 at approximately 4:45 p.m., officers responded to a report of an assault on a Bloomington Transit bus at the intersection of West 4th Street and the B-Line Trail. The victim, an 18-year-old woman, was transported to a local hospital for head bleeding and injuries.

The victim reportedly told police she was riding the Bloomington Transit bus and got up to exit when Billie Davis allegedly "began to strike her repeatedly in the head," causing "immediate pain." Police said Davis exited the bus and began to walk toward Kirkwood Avenue.

According to WXIN-TV, Davis fled before officers arrived. However, another bus passenger reportedly followed Davis and notified police of her location. Officers then took her into custody.

Investigators reviewed surveillance footage from inside the bus, which "showed that the suspect and victim had no interactions prior to the suspect stabbing the victim multiple times in the head," police said. In the footage, Davis was reportedly seen pulling a knife out of her pocket and stabbing the victim seven times.

In an interview, Davis reportedly told officials she stabbed the victim with a folding knife because the victim was Chinese and it "would be one less person to blow up our country."

She was arrested and charged with attempted murder, aggravated battery, and battery with a deadly weapon.

Additionally, the Department of Justice announced April 20 that a federal grand jury indicted Davis on a federal hate crime charge. The indictment alleges Davis "willfully caused bodily injury" to the victim and "attempted to do so using a knife because of the victim’s race and national origin."

The indictment also alleged Davis stabbed the victim in an attempt to kill her.

MORE:

• Indiana Woman Charged with Federal Hate Crime for Racially Motivated Attack Against a Woman of Chinese Descent —Department of Justice
• Indiana woman charged with federal hate crime in stabbing of Asian IU student, faces life in prison — WXIN
• Bloomington Police Investigate Stabbing, 1/12/2023 — Bloomington Police Department