Billie Davis, a 57-year-old resident of Bloomington, has been sentenced to six years in federal prison for committing a hate crime. This sentence follows her guilty plea to causing bodily harm with a knife to an Indiana University student because the victim was of Chinese descent.

The incident occurred on January 11, 2023, when the 18-year-old student was riding a Bloomington Transit bus. Davis boarded the bus and sat behind her. As the student prepared to exit, Davis attacked her with a folding knife, inflicting multiple stab wounds that required medical treatment.

Following the attack, Davis remained on the bus until confronted by other passengers. Upon exiting, she used racial slurs against the victim and claimed she posed a threat due to her Asian descent. The police later arrested Davis after she described the victim in derogatory terms and admitted targeting her because of her ethnicity.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke stated, "Racially motivated violence has no place in our society," emphasizing that this sentence should serve as a deterrent for hate-fueled violence. U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers highlighted that everyone deserves safety within their community and stressed the importance of prosecuting hate crimes through initiatives like United Against Hate.

FBI Indianapolis Acting Special Agent Robert “Alex” Middleton reiterated their commitment to protecting civil rights and ensuring accountability for hate crimes. The investigation involved collaboration between the FBI Indianapolis Field Office, Bloomington Resident Agency, and Bloomington Police Department.

Chief U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt imposed the sentence with contributions from Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter A. Blackett and Trial Attorneys Anita Channapati and Barry Disney who prosecuted the case.

For those with concerns about civil rights violations in Southern Indiana, reports can be made via email or online form provided by U.S. Attorney Myers' office.