Bloomington resident Billie Davis allegedly stabbed an 18-year-old Asian student on Bloomington transit bus 1777 on Wednesday.
In an email to students, the Asian Culture Center responded to the crime, which has been identified as racially motivated.
According to the affidavit, surveillance footage from the bus shows the suspect attacking the student unprovoked.
“We are outraged and heartbroken by this unprovoked act of violence, but we also worry for the well-being of our community,” an email from the Asian Culture Center said. “We should not be fearing for our lives on public transportation. Taking the bus should not feel dangerous.”
The Office of Student Affairs and Office of Diversity, Equity, and Multicultural Affairs will be offering services for students to share and process their feelings of grief and fear, according to the email.
“We all deserve to work, study, and live in a safe environment, and we urge leaders and individuals to begin having these difficult conversations to make Bloomington a place that we can call a safe home,” the email said.
According to the affidavit, Davis stated she stabbed the victim in the head with a folding knife.
Bus surveillance footage shows Davis stabbing or attempting to stab the victim around seven times on the top of her head, according to the affidavit. Davis then put the knife back in her pocket and returned to her bus seat. She later exited the bus and was arrested by Bloomington Police Officers.
After the incident, Davis exited the bus and walked away, later discarding the knife, according to a Thursday release from Bloomington Police Captain Ryan Pedigo.
Davis has been preliminarily charged with attempted murder, a level 1 felony, according to the release.
