ASU Student Pleads Not Guilty in Stabbing Incident

Arizona State University student Kaci Sloan entered a not-guilty plea in Maricopa County following a courtroom hearing this week. Sloan, 19, is accused of stabbing a fellow student twice in what is being described as a random attack within a Glendale classroom last month.

Initially, Sloan faced four charges, including first-degree attempted murder, in connection with the incident involving student Mara Daffron. However, after a preliminary hearing on September 30, two of these charges were dismissed. Sloan now faces charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and disorderly conduct, as informed by court records.

The presiding judge, Ashley Rahaman, set Sloan’s bail at $250,000 cash and specified the conditions for her release should she manage to post it. The alleged attack unfolded on September 19, when Sloan reportedly approached Daffron and stabbed her “multiple times,” according to an affidavit obtained by Fox News Digital based on several witness testimonies.

Witness Matthew McCormick, a fellow student, is credited with taking quick action to stop the attack, potentially saving Daffron’s life. “In that moment, I didn’t really have a thought going through my head; I just knew that I felt compelled to do something,” McCormick shared with FOX 10 Phoenix.

There were approximately 13 witnesses present during the incident, including a professor, who reported the event to the police. A probable cause affidavit, also obtained by Fox News Digital, stated that the stabbing occurred “without any provocation or words spoken.” The police report corroborated McCormick’s account, noting that one witness managed to disarm Sloan by pulling the knife away and throwing it aside, while another witness kicked the knife towards the back of the classroom.

Sloan was allegedly sitting at a desk before suddenly getting up and running at Daffron as she entered the classroom, stabbing her multiple times, according to the affidavit. A note was found in Sloan’s backpack referencing an anticipated action but did not explicitly state her intentions.

In a subsequent interview with detectives, Sloan reportedly expressed the desire to “hurt somebody,” targeting Daffron as “an easier target” compared to another individual she considered, whom she described as “a veteran.”

Authorities swiftly responded to the scene and provided medical assistance to Daffron, who was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. An ASU spokesperson has announced that the investigation into the September 19 stabbing is ongoing. Sloan was arrested on suspicion of first-degree attempted murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, interfering with an educational institution, and disorderly conduct. “ASU and the entire ASU West Valley community are deeply saddened by what happened,” the spokesperson said, emphasizing the availability of counseling support to the community.

Sloan’s initial pretrial conference is scheduled for November 21. The case continues to be a subject of attention as the ASU community reflects on the violent episode that disrupted their campus.