JOLIET, Ill. — An Illinois grand jury indicted a man Thursday who is accused of attempted murder, murder and a hate crime related to an attack on a Palestinian-American mother and her son, according to The Associated Press.
The grand jury returned an eight-count indictment against Joseph Czuba, 71, according to the AP.
Czuba has been indicted on three counts of first-degree murder, a count of attempted murder, two counts of aggravated battery and two counts of hate crime, WBBM reported.
Charges were filed against Czuba after Wadea Al-Foyoume, 6, was stabbed to death and his mother, Hanaan Shahin, 32, was injured on Oct. 14. Officials said that they were both targeted because of their Muslim faith, the AP reported.
Shahin reportedly told police that Czuba who was identified as her landlord in Will County, Illinois, was upset over the Israel-Hamas war. According to the AP, she said he had allegedly attacked them after she had urged him to “pray for peace.”
Shahin continues to recover from multiple stab wounds. Her son’s funeral took place on Oct. 16 and hundreds of people attended, the AP reported.
Czuba is expected to return to court on Monday.
