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An Arizona judge dismissed attempted murder charges against a black college student who allegedly knifed a white classmate because she was an “easy target.”

Kaci Sloan had reportedly been eyeing two random potential victims, Navy veteran Matthew McCormick and female Arizona State University classmate Mara Daffron. The presumed weaker of the two was ultimately selected, but in a twist of troubling irony, McCormick was on the scene and intervened, likely saving Daffron’s life.

“Kaci Sloan was facing multiple charges after launching herself at Mara Daffron, 19, as the pair arrived for class at ASU’s West Valley campus on September 19,” the Daily Mail reported.

“I’ve never seen anything like this and I hope I never do again,” McCormick said according to Fox10. “As she was going for a third attack, I was able to grab her wrists and apprehend her before further damage could be done.”

“I sprung and grabbed her wrist and took her to the ground and immediately disarmed her and then I kind of just held her there until the authorities arrived. I just knew I needed to do something. I had to act immediately. Really the whole situation was just despicable. You know, it’s predatory to prey upon those who are deemed easier targets. I really have no words,” he remarked.

Daffron underwent emergency surgery for a ruptured spleen and injuries to her chest and arm but is expected to make a full recovery.

It is unclear who the judge was who reportedly dismissed the two counts of attempted murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon at her last court hearing. However, Judge Jane McLaughlin had told Sloan during her first court appearance that her attack was “analogous to a school shooting and the risk that you pose in the community is extreme.”

The charges were since reduced at a preliminary hearing on 9/30/24. Sloan will now face lesser charges of aggravated assault and could go to prison for two to nine years. There is some ambiguity on the reduction of charges as community fact-checkers on X wrote: “Charges were dismissed due to a supervening grand jury indictment containing the same charges,” as quoted by the Superior Court docket.

Sloan, 19, is not some down-and-out deprived minority student either.

“The Arizona student who leapt from her seat to stab a classmate she barely knew lived in a $784,000 home in a gated community and enjoyed European holidays with her family, it has emerged,” according to CF.

Daffron’s mother is understandably incensed that the attempted murder charge was allegedly nixed.

“We are beside ourselves!” she told the Daily Mail. “So the only way there would be justice is if my daughter had actually died?”

Sloan has been held at the Maricopa County jail since the attack. Her victim is now recovering at home.

“Sloan told police she had issues with ‘self-worth’ and had decided to launch her attack the evening before,” the Daily Mail reported.

“She said she singled out Daffron as an ‘easier target’ than the ‘veteran’ she originally had in mind, and a search of Sloan’s backpack revealed a series of handwritten letters addressed to family and friends, apologizing for what she was ‘about to commit,’” the outlet added.

(Video Credit: Law&Crime Network)

“I’m just scared because I don’t know why the f*** she would stab me,” Daffron said after the attack.

According to Daffron’s mother, Sloan tripped and her daughter tried to help her up just before the attack. She then realized something was wrong and ran only to be stabbed in the back.

The victim won’t be going back to school anytime soon.

“She’s way too afraid to go back (to ASU). Her professors are working with her to do online lectures and I hope she will be able to go back next year. She’s still having a little bit of pain, the thing is she’s having nightmares and having to sleep with me,” her mother said.

Sloan does not have any previous criminal record. However, she admitted to thinking about doing this before. Witnesses contend that the attack came “without provocation or any words spoken.” No motive is known currently according to investigators.

“She told investigators she suffered intrusive thoughts about hurting people but ‘felt disgusted’ with them and ‘never made a plan’ until the night before the attack,” the Daily Mail noted.

She reportedly knew Daffron from another class but only on a first-name basis.

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