On October 14, in Plainview, Illinois, 6-year-old Muslim boy Wadea Shahin was fatally stabbed in his apartment by his landlord. His landlord, 71-year-old Joseph M. Czuba, allegedly started an argument with his mother, Hanaan Shahin. Shahin stated that Czuba berated her repeatedly, claiming that he was angry about “what’s going on in the Middle East,” to which Shahin replied, “Let’s pray for peace.” Following this, Czuba became more aggressive and violent, and he attacked Shahin with a knife. Shahin was able to get away, barricading herself in her bathroom, where she called 911. She was unable to save her son, and she stated that while on the phone with 911, “her son was being stabbed.”

This crime has been confirmed to have been a hate crime by local law enforcement. In an interview, Czuba’s wife claims that he had expressed his concerns to her on October 11th, 2023, previous to the attack. He allegedly stated that he was “scared” that Hanaan would contact “Palestinian friends and family to harm them.” Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has spoken up about this devastating crime, stating “To take a six-year-old child’s life in the name of bigotry is nothing short of evil. Every single Illisonian—including our Muslim, Jewish, and Palestinian neighbors—deserves to live free from the threat of such evil.”

Sources: https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/16/us/chicago-muslim-boy-stabbing-investigation/index.html