Arizona State University student Kaci Sloan, accused of stabbing a fellow student twice in a Glendale classroom last month in what appears to have been a random act, pleaded not guilty in Maricopa County on Wednesday. This plea came after two of her four original charges were dropped the previous week.
Initially, Maricopa County prosecutors charged Sloan, 19, with four counts, including attempted first-degree murder, for the attack on student Mara Daffron. Following a preliminary hearing on September 30, the remaining charges against Sloan include aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and disorderly conduct, as detailed in court documents.
Judge Ashley Rahaman set Sloan’s bail at $250,000 in cash, outlining the terms of her release should she manage to post bail.
The incident reportedly took place on September 19, when Sloan approached her classmate, Daffron, and stabbed her “multiple times,” according to an affidavit obtained by Fox News Digital that cites witness accounts. Matthew McCormick, a student who saw the incident unfold, intervened and helped stop the attack, possibly saving Daffron’s life, as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix.
“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 told the outlet. Approximately 13 witnesses, including a professor, provided statements to police, who described the incident in a probable cause affidavit obtained by Fox News Digital as occurring “without any provocation or any words spoken.”
The police report corroborates McCormick’s account, noting that one of the witnesses managed to disarm Sloan by removing the knife from her right hand and discarding it. Another witness then kicked the knife to the back of the classroom.
The affidavit further describes how Sloan, who had been sitting at a desk, suddenly stood up and charged at Daffron as she entered the classroom, stabbing her several times. Although Daffron’s injuries were not life-threatening, she faces a lengthy recovery process.
Investigators discovered a handwritten note in Sloan’s backpack that referenced an act she was “about to commit,” though the note did not specify what she intended. During an interview with detectives, Sloan allegedly expressed a desire to “hurt somebody” that day, selecting Daffron as her target because she seemed “an easier target” than another person she had considered, whom she described as “a veteran.”
Emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene and transported Daffron to a nearby hospital for medical care. An ASU spokesperson informed Fox News Digital that “ASU Police continue to investigate the September 19 on-campus stabbing. Kaci Sloan was immediately detained and arrested on charges including attempted first-degree murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, interfering with an educational institution, and disorderly conduct. She is being held on a $250,000 cash-only bond. ASU and the entire ASU West Valley community are deeply saddened by what happened. ASU West Valley is a close-knit campus of students, faculty, and staff. Counseling support is available to all.”
Sloan’s initial pretrial conference is set for November 21.
I want to know what you think!
Send me your views, thoughts or what’s on your mind and we will feature on our newsletter or show!
Email to [email protected] OR
Leave a text, voice note or voicemail for the show on what your thoughts are at 708-982-0974
Connect with me on Spreely Social CLICK HERE to Check out Spreely Social
And don’t forget to watch us LIVE weekdays at 1p est! CLICK HERE to Watch The Rants of Izzo Show!
-Izzo
