The trial of Joseph Czuba, accused of murdering six-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi and attacking Hanan Shaheen, begins on Feb. 25, 2025, in Joliet, Illinois. Czuba, 73, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder, allegedly targeting the family due to their Islamic faith.

Authorities stated that Czuba’s actions were a response to the war between Israel and Hamas, which escalated on Oct. 7, 2023. Joe Milburn from the Council on American-Islamic Relations highlighted the need to send a message against hate crimes based on religion and nationality.