The DOJ opened a hate-crime investigation on Sunday into the murder of a six-year-old Palestinian-American boy and his severely wounded mother.
Wadea Al-Fayoume suffered 26 stab wounds throughout his body by a twelve-inch serrated military style knife that has a seven-inch blade, according to a statement by the Will County Sheriff’s Office in Illinois. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.
His mother, 32-year-old Hanaan Shahin, suffered over a dozen stab wounds and was brought to the hospital in “serious condition.” She is expected to live.
Shahin and her son were attacked by their landlord Joseph M. Czuba, 71, in Plainfield Township, Illinois on Saturday. The perpetrator was brought to the hospital for a laceration to his forehead. He was charged with first degree murder, attempted first degree murder, two counts of hate crime, and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
“I am heartbroken by the abhorrent killing of Wadea Al-Fayoume, a six year old child who died after being stabbed 26 times with a military-style knife,” reads a statement by Attorney General Merrick Garland. “On behalf of the entire Justice Department, I want to express my deepest condolences to his family and his community as they grieve his loss.”
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker issued a statement saying “to take a six year old child’s life in the name of bigotry is nothing short of evil.”
“Wadea should be heading to school in the morning. Instead, his parents will wake up without their son,” Governor Pritzker said. “This wasn’t just a murder — it was a hate crime.”
President Biden issued a statement saying that he and Jill were “shocked and sickened” to learn of the attacks.
“The child’s Palestinian Muslim family came to America seeking what we all seek — a refuge to live, learn, and pray in peace,” Biden said.
Shahin and her husband has moved to the United States from the West Bank nearly 13 years ago, CNN reported.
“As Americans, we must come together and reject Islamophobia and all forms of bigotry and hatred. I have said repeatedly that I will not be silent in the face of hate,” Biden continued. “We must be unequivocal. There is no place in America for hate against anyone.”
“We will use every legal authority at our disposal to bring to justice those who perpetrate illegal acts of hate,” the attorney general said. “No one in the United States of America should have to live in fear of violence because of how they worship or where they or their family come from.”