Vigil held to honor slain Muslim boy as accused attacker appears in court in Illinois

By CLAIRE SAVAGE
Associated Press/Report for America

JOLIET, Ill. (AP) — An Illinois landlord charged with murder, attempted murder and a hate crime in an October attack on a Palestinian American mother and her young son has appeared for a pretrial hearing. The court appearance came Wednesday as a few dozen members of the Chicago-area Muslim community gathered outside the courthouse in Joliet, Illinois, to support the child’s family. The landlord, Joseph Czuba, is accused of fatally stabbing 6-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi and wounding his mother Hanan Shaheen on Oct. 14. Czuba has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Shaheen told police the landlord was upset over the Israel-Hamas war and attacked them after she urged him to pray for peace.