Key takeaways:
- The Justice Department has opened a federal hate crimes investigation into the death of six-year-old Wadea Al-Fayoume and the serious injuries suffered by his mother, Hanaan Shahin.
- Joseph Czuba, 71, was arrested and charged with targeting and stabbing Wadea and his mother because they were Muslim.
- The Justice Department is committed to ensuring justice is served and that no one should be targeted because of their faith.
The Justice Department has opened a federal hate crimes investigation into the death of six-year-old Wadea Al-Fayoume and the serious injuries suffered by his mother, Hanaan Shahin. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the investigation on Monday afternoon.
“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,” Garland said in a statement.
Wadea was stabbed 26 times with a military-style knife and his mother, Hanaan Shahin, 32, was stabbed more than a dozen times but is expected to survive. The Will County Sheriff’s Office arrested and charged landlord Joseph Czuba, 71, alleging he targeted and stabbed Wadea and his mother because they were Muslim.
Mohamed Aly, 41, a close friend of the family who first met the boy on the day he was born, said during a dinner that Wadea was always on a natural high and did not have any hate or anger.
The Justice Department is limited in what more it can say about the investigation, but Garland stated that the department is committed to ensuring justice is served and that no one should be targeted because of their faith.
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