Six-year-old Palestinian-American boy killed in anti-Muslim hate crime linked to Israel-Hamas war, police say
A six-year-old Palestinian-American boy was fatally stabbed and his mother was wounded by their landlord in an anti-Muslim hate crime linked to the Israel-Hamas war, police in Illinois say.
The boy was stabbed 26 times and his 32-year-old mother more than 12 times in the shocking attack at a property in Plainfield Township, outside Chicago, on Sunday morning.
“Detectives were able to determine that both victims in this brutal attack were targeted by the suspect due to them being Muslim and the on-going Middle Eastern conflict involving Hamas and the Israelis,” Will County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
Authorities say that when deputies arrived at the scene they found Joseph Czuba sitting on the ground near the home. They responded to the address after the woman called 911 and said she was being attacked by her landlord.
The identity of the victims, who were found inside a bedroom, has not been made public and investigators say that a knife was found at the scene of the stabbing.
The 71-year-old suspect has been charged with one count each of first-degree murder, attempted murder, and aggravated battery, and two counts of hate crime.
The dead boy has been identified as being a Palestinian-American by the Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organisation.
CAIR-Chicago claims that the mother sent the boy’s father text messages, alleging that the suspect shouted “You Muslims must die!” ahead of the stabbing, reported the Associated Press.
The organisation called the incident “our worst nightmare” and says they have seen a spike in hate calls and emails since the violence in the Middle East broke out.
“Joseph Czuba did not make any statements to detectives regarding his involvement in this heinous attack. Despite the suspect not providing a statement to detectives, personnel were able to gather enough information through interviews and evidence to formally charge Joseph Czuba with numerous criminal offenses,” Will County Sheriff’s Office added in its statement.
“The Will County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office for their assistance in working with detectives regarding Joseph Czuba being formally charged in this senseless and cowardly act of violence.
The suspect was transported to the Will County Adult Detention Facility and is awaiting his initial court appearance.
