US man kills 6-year-old Muslim boy in a case of hate crime amid Gaza war

A 71-year-old man from Illinois was charged with a hate crime on Sunday after fatally murdering a 6-year-old kid and badly injuring a 32-year-old woman. Police said he targeted the victims due of their Islamic beliefs and as a reaction to the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

In recent days, police in major US cities and federal authorities have been on high alert for anti-Semitic or Islamophobic violence. FBI agents, as well as Jewish and Muslim organisations, have reported an uptick in hostile and threatening speech.

The woman and her son were discovered in a distressed state in a residence situated in the unincorporated area of Plainfield Township, approximately 40 miles southwest of Chicago. The unsettling discovery was made by the officers late Saturday morning, as reported by the Will County Sheriff’s Office via a social media statement. 

The boy, unfortunately, could not survive and was declared dead upon arrival at the hospital. The woman, who was found with multiple stab wounds, is expected to make a recovery. A post-mortem examination of the deceased boy revealed the horrifying fact that he had been subjected to dozens of stab wounds.

According to the Will County sheriff’s office, the woman had called 911 to report that her landlord had attacked her with a knife, adding she then ran into a bathroom and continued to fight him off.

The man suspected in the attack was found Saturday outside the home and “sitting upright outside on the ground near the driveway of the residence” with a cut on his forehead, authorities said.

Also read : US President warns Israel not to occupy Gaza, likely to visit Tel Aviv