In a shocking incident of anti-Muslim violence, a six-year-old boy was brutally murdered, and his mother, aged 32, was critically injured in a knife attack in the Chicago suburb of Plainfield Township on Saturday.
The assailant, identified as their 71-year-old landlord, Joseph Czuba, was apprehended at the scene and subsequently charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, hate crimes, and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, as reported by the Will County Sheriffs Office.
The victims were reportedly attacked with a "twelve-inch serrated military-style knife that has a seven-inch blade." The knife was still lodged in the boy's body when he succumbed to his injuries at the hospital, according to the police.
The Will County Sheriffs Office released an initial statement detailing the horrific incident. On October 14, 2023, at approximately 11:38 AM, deputies were dispatched to a residence near the 16200 block of S. Lincoln Highway in Unincorporated Plainfield Township following a report of a stabbing. The residence is situated near the intersection of S. Lincoln Highway and Lily Cache Road in Plainfield.
The female victim, who had managed to dial 911 during the attack, reported that her landlord had assaulted her with a knife. She had retreated to the bathroom, where she continued to fend off her attacker while on the call with emergency services.
An updated statement released on Sunday by the Sheriffs Office provided further details. Upon arrival, police personnel found the suspect, Joseph M. Czuba, sitting upright outside the residence, near the driveway, with a laceration on his forehead. He was subsequently transported to a local hospital for treatment.
Inside the residence, deputies discovered the two victims in a bedroom, both suffering from multiple stab wounds to their chest, torso, and upper extremities. They were immediately rushed to a local hospital for treatment. The 32-year-old female victim, who had sustained over a dozen stab wounds, is currently recovering and is expected to survive this brutal assault.
The juvenile victim, initially reported to be eight years old, was later confirmed to be six years old. He was transported to the hospital in critical condition, where he later succumbed to his injuries. An autopsy conducted on October 15, 2023, revealed that the boy had been stabbed twenty-six times throughout his body. The forensic pathologist removed the knife from the boy's abdomen during the autopsy.
The suspect, Joseph M. Czuba, was treated and released from the hospital and was subsequently taken to the Will County Sheriffs Office Public Safety Complex for questioning. Despite Czuba not making any statements regarding his involvement in the attack, detectives were able to gather sufficient evidence through interviews and physical evidence to formally charge him with numerous criminal offenses.
Czuba was charged with First Degree Murder, Attempted First Degree Murder, two counts of Hate Crime, and Aggravated Battery with a Deadly Weapon. Detectives determined that the victims were targeted due to their Muslim faith and the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict involving Hamas and the Israelis.
The Will County Sheriffs Office expressed gratitude to the Will County States Attorneys Office for their assistance in the case. Czuba was transported to the Will County Adult Detention Facility, where he awaits his initial court appearance for this senseless and cowardly act of violence.
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