(CBS and AP) — Authorities say a 71-year-old Illinois man has been charged with a hate crime, accused of fatally stabbing a young boy and seriously wounded a woman because of their Islamic faith and the Israel-Hamas war. This happened in the Chicago suburb of Plainfield.
In custody is the family’s landlord, Joseph Czuba. Dead is Wadea Al-Fayoume, 6 (pictured). His mother was seriously wounded.
The Will County Sheriff’s Office says in a statement that Czuba was in custody Sunday and is charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, hate crimes and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. Authorities say they found the victims repeatedly stabbed Saturday morning at a home southwest of Chicago.
The sheriff’s office says the mother suffered more than a dozen stab wounds, is hospitalized, is expected to survive. Her son was stabbed 26 times.