Muslim boy fatally stabbed, mom wounded in Illinois, police say hate crime linked to Hamas, Israel

A 6-year-old boy Muslim boy was fatally stabbed and his mother seriously wounded this past weekend in what authorities say is a hate crime and a response to the war between Israel and Hamas.

The family's unnamed landlord has been charged in connection with the attack in the Chicago area, with relatives and police saying he singled out the victims because of their faith, according to the Associated Press. 

Officers found the 32-year-old woman and boy late Saturday morning at a home in an unincorporated area of Plainfield Township, about 40 miles southwest of Chicago, the wire service also reports.

FBI Director Christopher Wray acknowledged this past weekend an increase in reported threats in the aftermath of Hamas' attack Oct. 7 on Israel.

"In this heightened environment, there’s no question we’re seeing an increase in reported threats, and we have to be on the lookout, especially for lone actors who may take inspiration from recent events to commit violence of their own," he said Saturday.