Terrifying Hate Crime: Landlord's Shocking Attack on Muslim Family Leaves 6-Year-Old Dead

A 71-year-old landlord from the Chicago area has been apprehended and accused of murder and hate crimes. Authorities claim that he fatally stabbed a 6-year-old boy and inflicted severe injuries on his mother, allegedly motivated by their Muslim faith. Joseph M. Czuba now faces charges of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, two counts of a hate crime, and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, as stated in a news release by the Will County Sheriffs Office in Illinois. Additionally, the US Justice Department has initiated a federal hate crime inquiry into the incident, as announced by US Attorney General Merrick Garland on Sunday.

According to the sheriffs office, Czuba did not provide a statement to detectives. However, investigators concluded that the suspect deliberately targeted the victims because they were Muslim and due to the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict involving Hamas and the Israelis.

The family, who are Palestinian, fled to America in search of the same refuge that everyone desires - a place to live, learn, and pray in peace, as stated by the White House.

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden expressed their shock and disgust regarding the attack, extending their heartfelt condolences to the affected family. The White House promptly released a statement on Sunday conveying their sentiments.

The sheriffs office reported that a distress call was made by a woman, who stated that her landlord had assaulted her. This incident took place in unincorporated Plainfield Township, located approximately 40 miles southwest of Chicago, and the authorities were notified shortly before noon on Saturday.

Deputies discovered Czuba seated on the ground near the driveway of the residential premises upon their arrival, as stated in the press release. In a bedroom, the two individuals were discovered with numerous stab wounds and subsequently transported to the hospital, the release added.

Regrettably, the young boy endured 26 stab wounds and tragically did not survive, as confirmed by the sheriff's office.

The 32-year-old woman, who had more than a dozen stab wounds, is recovering at the hospital and is expected to survive, the office said.

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Joseph Czuba was charged with murder and hate crimes, authorities said.

Will County Sheriff's Office

The victims, Hanaan Shahin and her son, Wadea Al-Fayoume, were identified by the Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in a news release. The Bidens condemned the hateful act as having no place in America and going against the core values of freedom from fear regarding religious practices, beliefs, and individual identity.

The White House statement urged Americans to unite, reject Islamophobia, bigotry, and hatred. It emphasized the importance of speaking out against hate and reaffirmed that there is no tolerance for hate in America.

According to CAIR, the family had been residing on the ground floor of the houses without any significant problems with Czuba for two years prior.

According to the CAIR statement, Shahin mentioned in texts sent to the boys father from the hospital after the attack that the landlord came to their door, attempted to strangle her, and then assaulted her with a knife while shouting, "you Muslims must die." The attorney general has pledged to utilize all available legal resources in order to hold accountable those responsible for committing unlawful acts fueled by hatred.

Garland stated that this incident inevitably heightens the concerns of the Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian communities in our nation in relation to hate-motivated violence. He emphasized the Department of Justice's dedication to safeguarding the safety and civil liberties of all individuals in the country.

Following Wade's murder, the Illinois State Police urged residents to remain vigilant on Sunday; however, they reassured them that there is currently no verifiable information about any significant threats to the masses in Illinois.

Israel's military has stated that it is preparing for the upcoming phases of the conflict following the unprecedented attacks on October 7 by the Islamist militant group Hamas, which holds control over Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) informed CNN on Sunday that at least 1,400 individuals lost their lives during Hamas's rampage.

As a response, Israel has carried out airstrikes on Gaza, resulting in the death of over 2,600 individuals, as reported by the Palestinian health ministry. This has led to a severe worsening of conditions, described as a "complete catastrophe" by aid workers, with tens of thousands of Palestinians attempting to seek refuge further south.

"In the face of bigotry, it is undeniably wicked to extinguish the life of a six-year-old child," stated Illinois Governor JB Pritzker.

Governor Pritzker emphasized that every individual residing in Illinois, regardless of their religious affiliation such as Muslim, Jewish, or Palestinian, should be able to live without fear of such malevolence. He expressed solidarity with his Muslim and Palestinian counterparts, grieving over this heart-wrenching loss, and praying for Wadea's mother's recuperation.

"May Wadea Al-Fayoumes memory be a blessing."

A child who had just celebrated his birthday

Wadea had recently celebrated his birthday prior to his passing, according to Ahmed Rehab, the executive director of CAIR-Chicago, during a news conference on Sunday.

Rehab described the child, who was six years old, as someone who had a profound love for everything, based on the account shared by Wadea's father.

"He had an affection for everyone and everything – toys, objects involving a ball like basketball and soccer, coloring, swinging about, his parents, family, friends, and life in general. He eagerly anticipated a lengthy, thriving, and robust existence," he mentioned during the press briefing.

"Unaware of the global complexities unfolding, he suffered the consequences," Rehab included.

Wade's parents immigrated to the United States 12 and nine years ago, respectively, and their son was born here, according to Rehab. He mentioned that they hailed from a village in the West Bank.

In a statement published on X (formerly Twitter), CAIR National expressed their surprise and concern over the tragic demise of the young boy. They emphasized the urgent need to cease the dissemination of Islamophobic rhetoric and anti-Palestinian racism by politicians, media organizations, and social media platforms.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing strong condemnation towards the despicable act of racism and hatred that resulted in the tragic death of a 6-year-old Palestinian child and the severe injury of his mother. Furthermore, the ministry denounced the incitement campaigns, attacks, racist remarks, and provocative stances aimed at Palestinian citizens, as well as various Palestinian embassies and ambassadors in certain nations. The ministry urged all nations to confront these actions and ensure that those responsible for promoting and orchestrating them are held accountable.

Czuba has been taken to the Will County Adult Detention Facility and is currently awaiting his first court appearance, as reported by the sheriff's office. It remains unclear whether he has legal representation. Contributions to this report were made by CNN's Christina Maxouris and Nikki Carjaval.