In the state of Illinois, authorities have charged Joseph Czuba with murder, attempted murder, hate crimes, and aggravated battery following the stabbing of a six-year-old boy and his 32-year-old mother. The authorities indicated that the culprit targeted the victims because of the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel.
President Biden, using the platform X (formerly known as Twitter), expressed his and First Lady Jill Biden’s shock and condemnation of the attack. He stated that this “horrific act of hate has no place in America” and goes against fundamental American values, such as freedom from fear based on one’s religion or beliefs. President Biden called for unity against Islamophobia and all forms of bigotry and hatred.
The Will County Sheriff’s Office stated that the attacker targeted her after she called for emergency assistance, reporting that her landlord attacked her in Plainfield, Illinois. She sought refuge in the bathroom and continued to defend herself.
When law enforcement arrived at the scene, they found both victims with multiple stab wounds to their chest, torso, and upper extremities. Tragically, the boy, who sustained 26 stab wounds, succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. The mother’s injuries are severe but she might survive the attack.
The attacker used a 12-inch serrated military-style knife with a seven-inch blade.
Although the victims’ names were not publicly disclosed, the Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago) later identified them as Wadea al-Fayoume, the young boy, and his mother, Hanaan Shahinat. Wadea was born in the US, while his mother came to the country from Beitunia in the West Bank 12 years ago. Wadea recently celebrated his birthday and had an interest in sports, including soccer and basketball.
