U.S. politicians respond to the stabbing of a 6-year-old boy who authorities say was killed in anti-Muslim attack

Hannah Murdock
·3 min read
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President Joe Biden speaks an event in Largo, Md., Sept. 14, 2023. Biden responded to the death of a 6-year-old Palestinian-American in a statement on Sunday.
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A Chicago landlord was charged with murder and two counts of a hate crime in a targeted attack against a Palestinian American family, authorities stated Sunday.

Joseph M. Czuba, 71, was arrested Saturday after his tenant, a 32-year-old woman, called 911, saying her landlord had attacked her and her 6-year-old son. When police arrived, the woman and her son had both suffered multiple stab wounds.

The 6-year-old was taken to the hospital in critical condition and later died from injuries, the Will County Sheriff’s Office stated in a press release.

“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,” the press release reads.

According to written text messages from the mother and shared with the Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, the landlord attacked the two while yelling, “You Muslims must die!”

CAIR also identified the victims as Hanaan Shahin, and her son, Wadea Al-Fayoume.

Chicago landlord charged with hate crime

The Justice Department has opened a federal hate crimes investigation into the incident, Attorney General Merrick Garland stated.

According to the Will County Sheriff’s Office, Joseph Czuba was charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, hate crime (two counts), and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

Politicians react to the anti-Muslim attack

President Joe Biden released a statement Sunday night in response to the attack.

“Jill and I were sickened to learn of the brutal murder of a child and the attempted murder of the child’s mother yesterday in Illinois. Our condolences and prayers are with the family,” he wrote.

“This act of hate against a Palestinian Muslim family has no place in America.”

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., also responded to the stabbing, calling the attack “unspeakable.”

“I pray that love can prevail in these times of so much hate,” she wrote.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., called the alleged murder “horrific,” stating that this is “what happens when people dehumanize others, calling calling Palestinians ‘animals’ and for ‘extermination’ of those in Gaza.

“We must reject this unequivocally,” she stated.