As the war between Israel and Hamas continues, a 6-year-old boy was killed after a man swung a knife at a Muslim neighbor in Plainfield Township, a southwestern suburb of Illinois, USA. Public anger over the crime is spreading, with Governor Pritzker issuing a statement.
On the 14th (local time), Joseph Chuba, a 71-year-old man living in Plainfield, stabbed a 6-year-old boy, Wadea Al Fayumeh, and his mother (32), who lived in the neighborhood, because they were Muslims, killing the boy and seriously injuring the woman. . He was charged with a hate crime.
According to the Will County Sheriff’s Department, the victim called at 11:38 a.m. that day to report that the homeowner was attacking her with a knife. The police who arrived found the woman and a 6-year-old boy stabbed at the scene. The boy, who suffered a total of 26 stab wounds, eventually died at the hospital. The woman is also in critical condition.
A text message sent by the boy’s mother to her husband contained circumstances in which the homeowner visited the house at the time of the incident and strangled the boy and attacked him with a knife. It is known that the perpetrator committed this crime because he was angry after seeing news about the Israel-Hamas war.
Police found the suspect, Chuba, outside the house and arrested him. He was charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, two hate crimes and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
On the 15th, the day after the incident, the Chicago Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) held a press conference with the boy’s father, uncle, and other family members to condemn the crime. All victims are Palestinian-American. His mother has lived in the United States for 12 years and the boy is American-born.
“We want to ask what level of hatred and blind hatred can lead to such actions,” said CAIR Executive Director Ahmed Rehab, adding, “The media’s harmful and ‘one-sided’ reporting has deepened prejudice and led to violence.”
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker issued a statement on the 15th, defining this incident as a hate crime and not just a murder. “Taking the life of a six-year-old child in the name of prejudice borders on evil,” he said. “Wadea should go to school in the morning, but instead his parents will wake up without their son. This is not just murder, it is a hate crime.”
“All Illinoisans, including our Muslim, Jewish and Palestinian neighbors, deserve to live free from the threat of such evil,” Pritzker said. “Today my wife and I join our Muslim and Palestinian brothers and sisters in mourning this tragic loss and praying for Wadea. “I pray for my mother’s recovery,” he said.
Federal Representative Raja Krishnamoorudi also posted a message on
“This act of terrorism is an attack on the American Muslim community and the fundamental humanity of our nation,” he said. “I urge you to join us in this,” he emphasized.
Meanwhile, the day after the incident, Illinois State Police urged residents to be alert to potential hate crimes and terrorist activities related to the Israel-Hamas war.
State police said they were “coordinating law enforcement efforts in response to an increase in war-related violence and hate crimes,” and that they were “continuing to reach out to Muslim and Jewish communities to communicate with and provide support to those currently at risk.” .
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.