UT-Dallas Student Banned from Campus After Attempted Murder Charges
Nika Nikoubin, a 22-year-old student at the University of Texas at Dallas, has been banned from campus after she was charged with attempted murder and felony battery with a weapon following her arrest in March 2022. According to Henderson police, Nikoubin acknowledged using a knife and told investigators it was an act of revenge for the death of Qasem Soleimani, an Iranian military leader killed by an American drone aircraft strike in January 2020.
Nikoubin has pleaded not guilty and a trial is scheduled for July.[0] As part of her pre-trial conditions, Nikoubin was placed on house arrest in North Texas.[1] However, a UT-Dallas campus police detective says police were never told she'd been moved to Texas, and the hearing on the house arrest issue was continued until Wednesday.[1]
Body camera video obtained by the 8 News Now Investigators in December showed officers talking to Nikoubin before her arrest.[2] During the interview, Nikoubin said she wanted to get revenge for the drone strike and stated “I mean the U.S. killed Soleimani. Lots of blood spilled, so I feel like, it’s fair that American blood be spilled.”
Nikoubin’s attorneys have filed paperwork to try to get the attempted murder charge dropped, saying “Nikoubin specifically stated she did not wish to kill [the victim], but only wanted to ‘hurt him.’” They write the grand jury “was likely confused about the elements of the crime.”[3]
UT-Dallas is taking the necessary steps to ensure the safety of their campus, with a school spokesperson saying “Because the safety of our campus and our community is of utmost importance, we have removed her from campus. The UT Dallas Police will monitor the student’s compliance with the removal order.[0]
0. “Texas university bans woman ahead of Vegas stabbing trial” The Washington Post, 16 Feb. 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/nevada-judge-texas-university-can-decide-to-ban-defendant/2023/02/15/cd02f9b4-ad8a-11ed-b0ba-9f4244c6e5da_story.html
1. “UT-Dallas bans woman accused of stabbing a man in Las Vegas” KRLD, 16 Feb. 2023, https://www.audacy.com/krld/news/local/ut-dallas-bans-woman-accused-of-stabbing-a-man-in-las-vegas
2. “Singer accused of drone strike retaliation stabbing in Las Vegas-area hotel ordered not to perform, university to ban her” KLAS – 8 News Now, 15 Feb. 2023, https://www.8newsnow.com/investigators/singer-accused-of-drone-strike-retaliation-stabbing-in-las-vegas-area-hotel-ordered-not-to-perform-university-to-ban-her/
3. “Texas police did not know ‘revenge’ stabbing suspect was on house arrest pursuing music career” KLBK | KAMC | EverythingLubbock.com, 14 Feb. 2023, https://www.everythinglubbock.com/news/texas/texas-police-did-not-know-revenge-stabbing-suspect-was-on-house-arrest-pursuing-music-career
