Outrage after judge drops main charges against ASU stabber Kaci Sloan who posed 'extreme risk'

The incident, which unfolded in front of several students, left Daffron, 19, severely injured.

PUBLISHED OCT 3, 2024

A search of Sloan's backpack revealed handwritten letters apologizing to her family and friends for her planned actions.

Phoenix, Arizona: A judge has dismissed attempted murder charges against Kaci Sloan, an Arizona State University (ASU) student accused of nearly killing her classmate, Mara Daffron, in an unprovoked knife attack on September 19 at ASU's West Valley campus.

Following the attack, Daffron remains too afraid to return to ASU.

The incident, which unfolded in front of several students, left Daffron, 19, severely injured and requiring emergency surgery for a ruptured spleen and wounds to her chest and arm.

Sloan, 19, allegedly premeditated the attack the night before, targeting Daffron as an "easier victim" compared to another person she had considered. Despite two counts being dismissed in court, Sloan still faces aggravated assault charges, carrying a potential prison sentence of two to nine years.

Sloan, who has been held in Maricopa County jail since the incident, had no previous criminal record.

Daffron’s mother expressed outrage over the reduced charges, questioning if justice would only be served had her daughter died. Daffron, a sports business student, was confused about why she was targeted, telling police before surgery that she didn’t understand why Sloan attacked her. According to Daffron's mother, the attack occurred after Sloan tripped in front of her daughter, and when Daffron tried to help her, she was suddenly stabbed.

Following the attack, Daffron remains too afraid to return to ASU and is currently taking online classes. While she is physically healing from the wounds to her tricep and spleen, she is also dealing with emotional trauma, including nightmares. Her mother revealed that she now sleeps with her for comfort.

Sloan, who has been held in Maricopa County jail since the incident, had no previous criminal record and reportedly struggled with intrusive thoughts. She confessed to police that she had felt disgusted by her thoughts but had never acted on them until the night before the attack. A search of Sloan's backpack revealed handwritten letters apologizing to her family and friends for her planned actions.

Witnesses, including Navy veteran Matthew McCormick, who intervened and stopped the attack, described the event as shocking. McCormick restrained Sloan before she could stab Daffron a third time. He expressed hope that Daffron would recover and return to her vibrant, bubbly self, while also condemning the predatory nature of the attack. Judge Jane McLaughlin, during Sloan’s initial court appearance, told Sloan her attack was "analogous to a school shooting and the risk that you pose in the community is extreme", when she made her first court appearance.