Police in the United States have charged a 71-year-old man with murder and hate crimes for fatally stabbing a six-year-old boy and seriously injuring his 32-year-old mother, claiming he singled out the victims because of their faith. and in response to the war between Israel and Hamas.
Officers found the two victims Saturday morning in a house about 65 miles southwest of Chicago.
The boy, who was pronounced dead at the hospital, was stabbed 26 times with a large military-style knife, according to an autopsy on Sunday, the sheriff's office said.
The mother had more than a dozen stab wounds to her body. She remained hospitalized on Sunday.
The suspect, whose identity has not been revealed by authorities, was found on Saturday, "sitting upright outside on the ground near the residential path" with a cut on his forehead, police said.
He was in custody on Sunday awaiting a court hearing. He is charged with premeditated murder, two counts of hate crimes and aggravated wounding with a deadly weapon.
The family lived on the ground floor of the house for two years, according to the organization. The suspect was their landlord, reports said.
Based on text messages from the mother to the child's father, the suspect shouted, "You Muslims must die!" before the stabbing, according to CAIR-Chicago, which called the crime "our worst nightmare" and part of a disturbing spike in hate calls and emails since the Israel-Hamas war began.
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