Killing of Wadea al-Fayoume

On October 14, 2023, Wadea al-Fayoume (Arabic: وديع الفيوم, romanized: Wadīʿa al-Fayyūm), a six-year-old Palestinian-American boy, was killed when he was stabbed 26 times in his home in Plainfield Township, Illinois. His mother, Hanaan Shahin, was also stabbed and strangled, leaving her critically injured. Authorities have described the killing as a hate crime motivated by lslamophobia and anti-Palestinianism, and an extremist reaction to the contemporaneous 2023 Israel–Hamas war.^[1]

The killing lead to several statements and condemnations from government officials and organizations. A fundraiser was organized to give Shahin safe housing, covering fees for the funeral and hospitalization, and establishing a charity in al-Fayoume's name. A vigil was held for him shortly after his death.

The accused, 71-year-old Joseph Czuba, who was Shahin's landlord, was arrested and charged with five counts, for which he potentially faces up to life in prison.^[2]