Indiana University students react to recent anti-Asian violence after student stabbed on city bus

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana College college students are talking out towards anti-Asian violence in Bloomington.

Bloomington Police say a lady stabbed an 18-year-old pupil on a metropolis bus Wednesday.

Investigators say she was focused for her race.

“I am an IU pupil, however at the beginning, I am additionally the son of immigrants. I perceive your ache. You are not alone,” IU sophomore William Legato stated in a message to the sufferer’s household.

Legato and different college students gathered on the Asian Tradition Middle Friday to help each other, communicate to school administration and write letters to the sufferer.

“Whenever you’re damage, it is all of us. Your youngster, that is our sibling, that is our cousin, that is whoever – it would not matter blood or not. Spiritually, in the neighborhood framework, that is us too,” Legato stated.

The suspect, 56-year-old Billie Davis, informed police she stabbed the teenager a number of instances within the head with a folding knife, as a result of it “can be one much less individual to explode our nation.”

Self-described “townies” and IU seniors Audrey Lee and Tvisha Chatterjea stated they have been coping with these anti-Asian sentiments their entire lives.

“Rising up, my dad and mom right here informed me ‘oh preserve your head down, should you come throughout any bother do not interact,’” Lee stated.

“Simply run,” Chatterjea added.

“Yeah precisely. If we preserve working away, preserve avoiding folks in the neighborhood, then they are going to have extra cause to dehumanize us and it will be simpler to commit these acts of anti-Asian violence,” Lee stated.

WRTV reached out to the college for touch upon the current violence. A spokesperson stated “To our Asian and Asian American associates, colleagues, college students and neighbors, we stand firmly with you.”