An Arizona student is in the hospital after being randomly stabbed by a classmate who apparently bit her the night before the attack – and singled her out because she was an “easy target.”
ASU student Mara Daffron, 19, was attacked as she walked into her classroom in Glendale on September 19.
Fellow student Kaci Sloan jumped from her seat and stabbed Daffron twice in front of shocked classmates.
The suspect tried to stab Daffron a third time, but was stopped by another student.
Daffron was able to escape from the classroom into a courtyard, where she was met by paramedics.
Sloan’s motive remains unclear. Police say she had written notes planning the attack, and decided to go for Daffron because she was an “easier” target than anyone else she was planning to go for.
Mara Daffron, 19, was stabbed as she walked into her classroom in Glendale on September 19
She suffered serious injuries to her triceps and spleen, which required surgery
Fellow classmate Kaci Sloan has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly admitting to the offense and stating that she chose Daffron as her victim because she seemed like an ‘easier target’
Matthew McCormick, another student, was in the classroom and fought Sloan off the victim.
‘When she attacked a third time, I was able to grab her wrists and arrest her before any further damage could be done.
“It was a great job by everyone who was in that room; by the EMTs, paramedics and police.
‘Everyone responded very, very well. 9-1-1 calls came pretty immediately and everyone seemed pretty locked in and knew what to do’
Daffron was rushed to Banner Thunderbird Hospital, where she underwent surgery for injuries to her triceps and spleen.
The teen faces a long recovery, but is “making great progress and on the mend,” a researcher said. GoFundMe set up to help.
“She is home now but is still in a lot of pain,” her mother Launi Daffron told DailyMail.com. “We’re all in shock.”
Sloan has been charged with several charges, including attempted first-degree murder.
In a police interview, she reportedly told officers that she was debating between two people to attack, but she chose Daffron because she was an “easier target” than the other person who was a “veteran.” Family AZ reports.
Sloan also allegedly admitted that she came to class with the intention of “hurting someone” and planned her attack the night before.
It remains unclear what caused her to break up.
A search of her backpack revealed a note that cryptically stated that she was “about to commit” but “didn’t specifically state what she was talking about.”
Sloan told investigators she knew Daffron’s first name, but nothing else about her.
Before her surgery, Daffron told officers she was “scared.”
Daffron has a long recovery ahead of her, but her family says she is making progress
Sloan reportedly told investigators that she planned to attack someone the night before she came to class
“I’m just scared because I don’t know why she would stab me,” said the Sports Business student.
At her first court appearance, Sloan was told her actions amounted to a school shooting.
She is booked into the Maricopa County Jail on a $250,000 bond.
The attack occurred on September 19 on the ASU campus in Glendale, Arizona