The Bloomington Police Department responded to a report of an assault on a Bloomington transit bus at around 4:45 p.m. on Jan. 11.
The suspect was identified as Billie R. Davis, a 56-year-old woman from Bloomington, according to the release. Security footage showed no prior interaction between the victim and the suspect on the bus.
Davis later told authorities she targeted the individual because of the victim's Asian nationality, according to the Herald Times.
The victim, an 18-year-old woman from Carmel, was reportedly assaulted when the bus stopped at the intersection of West Fourth Street and the B-line trail according to a release from Bloomington Police Capt. Ryan Pedigo. The victim stood to exit the bus, but as she waited for the doors to open, another passenger on the bus began to repeatedly strike her on the head with a knife. The victim was transported by ambulance and treated at an area hospital.
Davis proceeded to walk off the bus and head toward Kirkwood Avenue, where a witness on the bus proceeded to follow the suspect on foot, according to the release. They provided responding officers with an updated location of the suspect until Davis was located and detained by police officers.
Davis was taken to the Monroe County Jail where she was originally charged with battery. However, upon further inspection of the victim’s wounds, it was determined that she had multiple stab wounds to the head, according to the release. After reinterviewing Davis, the charges were changed to attempted murder, a level one felony.
CLARIFICATION: This article has been updated to include information regarding the alleged suspect's motive.
