An Arizona college student is in the hospital after being randomly stabbed by a classmate who apparently became angry the night before the attack and singled her out because she was an “easy target.”
ASU student Mara Daffron, 19, was attacked as she entered her classroom in Glendale on September 19.
Fellow student Kaci Sloan jumped out of her seat and stabbed Daffron twice in front of her horrified classmates.
The suspect attempted to stab Daffron a third time, but was fought off by another student.
Daffron was able to flee from the classroom to a courtyard, where she was met by paramedics.
Sloan’s motive remains unclear. Police say he had written notes planning the attack and decided to attack Daffron because he was an “easier” target than another person he was thinking of attacking.
Mara Daffron, 19, was stabbed as she entered her classroom in Glendale on September 19.
He was left with serious injuries to his triceps and spleen that required surgery.
Classmate Kaci Sloan has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly admitting to the crime and claiming she chose Daffron as her victim because he seemed like an “easier target.”
Matthew McCormick, another student, was in the classroom and fought Sloan to get the victim away.
‘When she was going to make a third attack, I was able to grab her wrists and stop her before she could cause any more damage.
‘It was a great job by everyone in that room; by the paramedics, the paramedics and the police.
“Everyone responded very, very well. The 9-1-1 calls were pretty instantaneous and everyone seemed pretty focused 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 has a long recovery ahead of her, but she is “making great progress and recovering,” according to a GoFundMe configured to help.
“He’s home now, but he’s still in a lot of pain,” his mother, Launi Daffron, told DailyMail.com. “We are all in shock.”
Sloan has been charged with several counts, including attempted first-degree murder.
In a police interview, he allegedly told officers he was debating between two people to attack, but chose Daffron because he was an “easier target” than the other person who was a “veteran.” AZ Family information.
Sloan also allegedly admitted that he came to class with the intention of “hurting someone” and planned his attack the night before.
It is unclear what prompted her to explode.
A search of his backpack uncovered a note that cryptically said he was “about to get engaged” but “didn’t say specifically what he meant.”
Sloan told investigators he knew Daffron’s first name but nothing else about her.
Before undergoing surgery, Daffron told officers she was “scared.”
Daffron has a long recovery ahead but is making progress, according to his family
Sloan reportedly told investigators he planned to attack someone the night before arriving for class.
“I’m just scared because I don’t know why the hell he would stab me,” the Sports Business student said.
At his first court appearance, Sloan was told his actions amounted to a school shooting.
She has been booked into the Maricopa County Jail with a $250,000 fine.
The attack occurred on September 19 on the ASU campus in Glendale, Arizona.