Bloomington (USA): Police in USA’s Bloomington arrested a 56-year-old woman on the charge of stabbing an 18-year-old Asian student on a public bus in the city, AFP reported.

According to the Court documents, the accused, Billie R. Davis, said the victim was targeted because of her race, according to WNDU-TV.

Davis stabbed the student, enrolled at Indiana University, multiple times in the head while onboard a Bloomington Transit bus on Wednesday.

Bloomington is in the southern part of Indiana state of the USA.

The victim told investigators she was standing and waiting for the exit doors to open on a Bloomington Transit bus Wednesday afternoon when another passenger began striking her in the head, Bloomington police said in a release.

Bus surveillance footage showed the two women had no interaction prior to the attack.

A witness travelling in the bus followed the attacker and informed the Bloomington Police, who later arrested Davis.

Davis has been charged with attempted murder and aggravated battery, according to court records, said the report.

The victim was treated in the hospital for multiple stab wounds.

The AFP report citing WRTV-TV reports said as per court records, that Davis told police she stabbed the woman multiple times in the head with a folding knife, because it “would be one less person to blow up our country.”

In a statement, Indiana University Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Multicultural Affairs James Wimbush. “This week, Bloomington was sadly reminded that anti-Asian hate is real and can have painful impacts on individuals and our community.

“No one should face harassment or violence due to their background, ethnicity or heritage. Instead, the Bloomington and IU communities are stronger because of the vast diversity of identities and perspectives that make up our campus and community culture.”

Mayor John Hamilton called behaviour like the bus attack “not acceptable” and said it will be “dealt with accordingly.”

“We know when a racially motivated incident like this resonates throughout the community, it can leave us feeling less safe,” Hamilton said in a statement Saturday, AFP reported.

“We stand with the Asian community and all who feel threatened by this event,” he added.