Woman who attacked Asian American student given six-year prison sentence

Though the attacks on Asian Americans are off the front pages, anti-Asian hate continues to spread rising to the point that it has apparently become accepted as normal behavior.

Billie Davis, 57, was sentenced Wednesday to 72 months in prison and three years of supervised release for committing a federal hate crime when on a bus, she stabbed  an Asian American woman.

On Sept. 17, the Indiana white woman pleaded guilty to causing bodily injury to an 18-year old victim, identified in court papers only by her initials, Z.F., through the use of a knife, because of Z.F.’s actual and perceived race and national origin.

“Racially motivated violence has no place in our society,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

Billie Davis

“This defendant pulled out a knife and viciously attacked a young woman who was simply riding a public bus to school, seriously injuring her because she was of Chinese descent. The sentence imposed for this heinous hate crime should send a strong message that perpetrators of hate-fueled violence will be held accountable.”

According to documents filed in connection with this case, on Jan. 11, 2023, Z.F., a woman of Chinese descent who was enrolled at Indiana University at Bloomington, was riding a Bloomington Transit bus on her way to school. Davis boarded the bus, sitting behind Z.F. As Z.F. stood to exit the bus at her stop, Davis reached for a folding knife from inside her pocket and stabbed Z.F. in the head approximately seven to 10 times. 

The student, who asked to remain anonymous out of safety concerns, has since returned home, says attorney Kathleen DeLaney, who is representing the student's family.

Davis later admitted to the police that she attacked Z.F. because she was Chinese and because Davis believed Z.F. was the “enemy.” adding that it "would be one less person to blow up our country" Davis used racist slurs when referring to Z.F.

Since the pandemic began when Donald Trump use racist slurs to connect the coronavirus to China, calling it "Kung Flu" or "China Virus," combined with anti-Chinese rhetoric in the ongoing trade wars between the US and China resulting in racists to believe that Asians were open game for their attack.

According to the Stop AAPI Hate Center, nearly 1900 hate crimes against Asian Americans were reported by victims, and around 69% of cases were related to verbal harassment, including being called the “Chinese Coronavirus.”

"The serious federal prison sentence imposed here should demonstrate our commitment to stopping this hate," said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers for the Southern District of Indiana.

“Every person deserves to feel safe in their own community, and no one should be made to fear violence on their way to school simply because of who they are,” said Myers. “Violent hate should have no safe harbor in Indiana or anywhere in our great country. That’s why our Justice Department has prioritized prosecution of hate crimes and community outreach through our United Against Hate initiative."

Anyone who has suffered a potentially hate-based violent incident should call 911 to address immediate safety issues, and then report the event to the Justice Department or FBI. Together we can make our community safer for everyone.”

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