Hate Crime: Illinois Man Charged in Fatal Stabbing of Muslim Boy

An Illinois man, Joseph Czuba, has been charged with hate crimes for stabbing a 6-year-old Muslim boy to death and injuring his mother in an attack that targeted them due to their religion and as a response to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. The boy was stabbed 26 times with a military-style knife, while his mother sustained multiple stab wounds but is expected to survive. President Joe Biden condemned the act, stating that it has no place in America. Czuba has been charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, hate crime, and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) called for an end to Islamophobic rhetoric and anti-Palestinian racism. The FBI Director also warned about the need to stay vigilant in this heightened environment.