A 71-year-old Illinois man has been charged with a murderous hate crime after allegedly stabbing a 6-year-old boy to death and injuring a 32-year-old woman. Joseph M. Czuba of Plainfield – around 40 miles southwest of Chicago – allegedly targeted the victims because of their Islamic faith, in response to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, according to police.
The boy, identified as Wadea Al-Fayoume, was pronounced dead at the hospital, while the woman is expected to survive. Czuba has been charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, two counts of hate crimes, and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and President Joe Biden have already condemned the attack.