Hate Crime Motive and Charges
Authorities have revealed that the suspect targeted both victims due to their Muslim identity and their connection to the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict involving Hamas and the Israelis, though further details were not provided.
Despite the suspect not providing a statement to detectives, they gathered enough information through interviews and evidence to charge him with two hate crimes.
Condolences from President Joe Biden
President Joe Biden expressed his condolences and outrage, emphasising that this horrific act of hate has no place in America. He extended his condolences and prayers to the victims’ family, including the mother’s recovery, and to the broader Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim American communities.
Details of the Attack
The 6-year-old boy, Wadea Al-Fayoume, was stabbed 26 times at his Plainfield home by the suspect, Joseph Czuba, who is the landlord.
Tragically, the young boy did not survive and passed away at the hospital. His mother, aged 32, was also attacked, sustaining more than a dozen stab wounds.
She is currently hospitalised and expected to recover. She managed to seek help by dialling 911 while defending herself against the assailant in the bathroom.
Charges Against the Suspect
Joseph Czuba, aged 71, is facing charges of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and two counts of committing a hate crime. The suspect has not provided any statements to detectives regarding his involvement in the attack wrote Aol News.
Federal Hate Crimes Investigation
The Department of Justice announced the initiation of a federal hate crimes investigation into this incident. Attorney General Merrick Garland expressed his deep condolences to the family and the community affected by this tragedy. He described the attack as abhorrent and stated that it may further raise fears of hate-fuelled violence in Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian communities in the United States.