'The Wadee Resolution': Senate passes act recognizing suburban boy was brutally killed in hate-crime

ByABC7 Chicago Digital Team WLS logo
Wednesday, September 25, 2024
Senate passes act in name of Palestinian-American boy killed in hate crime
6-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi was killed in October after being stabbed 26 times in front of his mother.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- 6-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi was killed in October after being stabbed 26 times in front of his mother.

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On Tuesday night, the U.S. Senate passed an act recognizing his death as a hate crime for his Palestinian-Muslim identity.

"We are 12 days from October 7th and 19 days from the anniversary of Wadee's murder - both dates marked by children torn from their mothers," Illinois Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez said.

Wadee and his mother Hanaan Shahin were stabbed as they were leaving their home near Plainfield.

Wadee's father told ABC7 Chicago his ex-wife told him the suspect, Joseph Czuba, yelled, "All Muslims must die" before stabbing her and her son more than a dozen times.

READ ALSO | Father of 6-year-old Muslim boy killed in unincorp. Plainfield stabbing speaks with ABC7

The resolution passed by the Senate recognizes that Wadee died because of hate.

"The United States has zero tolerance for hate crimes, Islamophobia, antisemitism, and anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab discrimination," the resolution states.

The Muslim Civic Coalition drafted the Wadee Resolution in partnership with Senator Durbin, Senator Duckworth, and Congresswoman Ramirez.

"The Wadee Resolution uplifts his proud Palestinian heritage as a powerful and beautiful community that represents the best of our nation," Muslim Civic Coalition Board said in a statement.