Asian student assaulted in Indiana college town

An 18-year-old Asian American student at Indiana University was stabbed while getting off a bus by a woman who said she did it because the victim is Chinese, according to court documents.

According to an affidavit, Billie Davis, 56, a resident of Bloomington, Indiana, where the university is located, stated she stabbed the female victim in the head with a folding knife.

Davis mentioned targeting the woman, who is from Carmel, a suburb of Indianapolis, "due to [her] being Chinese" and "made statements that race was a factor in why she stabbed her", the affidavit said.

Davis also told a detective that she attacked the young woman because it would be "one less person to blow up our country".

The victim "said that as she was standing and waiting for the bus doors to open, another passenger on the bus began to strike her repeatedly in the head, which resulted in immediate pain", said a news release from the Bloomington police.

The young woman was alert and able to tell police what happened when they spoke to her at a local hospital; her condition wasn't available Thursday.

Surveillance footage shows Davis stabbing or attempting to stab the victim several times on top of head.

Davis then put the knife in her pocket and went back to her seat on the Bloomington Transit bus. A witness who also was onboard followed Davis and contacted police. She was arrested by Bloomington police officers when she got off the bus.

Davis was booked into the Monroe County Jail on charges of attempted murder, aggravated battery and battery by means of a deadly weapon, where she was held without bond on Thursday.

"We are outraged and heartbroken by this unprovoked act of violence, but we also worry for the well-being of our community," said an email from the Asian Culture Center said, reported the Indiana Daily Student. "We should not be fearing for our lives on public transportation. Taking the bus should not feel dangerous."

On Friday, IU students gathered at the center to voice their concerns.

"After Wednesday, I immediately feel unsafe taking the bus," said IU student Zheng Zhou.

IU seniors Audrey Lee and Tvisha Chatterjea, who grew up in Bloomington, say they've been dealing with anti-Asian sentiments their entire lives, according to WRTV, the ABC affiliate in Indianapolis.

"Growing up my parents here told me, 'Oh keep your head down, if you come across any trouble don't engage.' Just run."

"Yeah exactly. If we keep running away, keep avoiding people in the community, then they will have more reason to dehumanize us, and it'll be easier to commit these acts of anti-Asian violence," Lee said.

In a statement posted on the city website, Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton said: "Following the brutal attack of a member of our community, I want to state categorically that here in the city of Bloomington we deplore any form of racism and discrimination, especially hate-based violence."

James C. Wimbush, the university's vice-president for diversity, equity and multicultural affairs, said on Facebook, "This week, Bloomington was sadly reminded that anti-Asian hate is real."

A total of 10,905 hate incidents against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders were reported between March 19, 2020 — at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic —and Dec 31, 2021, according to Stop AAPI Hate, an advocacy group.