Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Indiana woman charged with federal hate crime in bus attack

An Indiana woman now faces a federal hate crime in the stabbing of an Indiana University student of Chinese descent on a public bus

Via AP news wire
Friday 21 April 2023 14:47 BST
Bus Stabbing Race Indiana
Bus Stabbing Race Indiana

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

A southern Indiana woman now faces a federal hate crime charge in addition to attempted murder in the stabbing of an Indiana University student of Chinese descent on a public bus.

Billie R. Davis, 56, of Bloomington, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Evansville Thursday on a charge of willfully causing injuries to the victim due to her race and national origin, the Justice Department said.

Davis, who is white, is accused of repeatedly stabbing the 18-year-old woman with a folding knife on Jan. 11 as the victim, from Carmel, Indiana, waited to get off a bus in downtown Bloomington.

Citing court records, WRTV-TV has reported that Davis told police she stabbed the woman multiple times in the head with a folding knife, because it “would be one less person to blow up our country.”

Asian Americans have increasingly been the target of racially motivated harassment and assaults in recent years, particularly since the coronavirus pandemic began, with many worrying that anti-Asian rhetoric linked to fraught relations between the U.S. and China could lead to more violence.

A affidavit from a detective who reviewed bus surveillance footage says the victim was stabbed about seven times in the top of the head, the Indianapolis Star reported.

“Davis then folds the knife, puts it back in her pocket and returns to her seated position on the bus,” the affidavit said.

Surveillance footage showed no interaction between the two women prior to the attack.

A witness who was riding the bus followed the woman’s attacker and contacted police. Davis was later arrested and charged with attempted murder and aggravated battery, according to court records.

She pleaded not guilty in January to those charges.

The Associated Press left an email Friday morning seeking comment from Kyle Dugger, an attorney representing Davis.

Dugger said in a court motion in January that he is seeking an insanity defense on Davis' behalf and that she “is incapable of assisting in the preparation of her defense because of mental illness.”

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in