An Indiana woman has pleaded guilty to a federal hate crime after she repeatedly stabbed a Chinese American teen on a city bus while yelling slurs, court records show.
Billie Davis, 58, admitted to stabbing an 18-year-old Indiana University student in her head seven to 10 times last year. The teen survived the pocketknife assault but suffered several wounds.
Davis told police she “snapped” when she saw the woman and attacked her because she was Chinese. She added that she wanted to make “one less enemy,” according to the plea agreement.
Trinh Le, community care director at civil rights nonprofit Stop AAPI Hate, told USA TODAY the guilty plea hasn’t erased the grief Indiana’s Asian American community has grappled with since the assault.
“Students we supported at (Indiana University) after the attack shared that they’ve been living in fear ever since,” Le said. “We know that racism against Asian American communities continues to be a pervasive issue, and it’s being dangerously fueled by xenophobic, anti-immigrant comments from politicians and leaders. It’s time to hold our leaders who embolden racist attackers accountable as well.”
The announcement in Indiana comes less than two months before the election as some civil rights leaders warn the campaign cycle could trigger a spike in hate crimes. A study by the Leadership Conference Education Fund found reported hate crimes have increased during the past four presidential election cycles – and warns this year could see another dangerous rise.
Asian student stabbed several times on Indiana city bus
On Jan. 11, 2023, Davis boarded a Bloomington Transit bus that the victim was seated on, according to the plea agreement filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana.
After the victim, identified as “Z.F.” pulled a cord to indicate she wanted to stop at the next exit, Davis removed a folding knife from her right front pocket and opened the blade, the agreement said. As the student stood to exit…
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