A Will County man is charged with first-degree murder, aggravated battery and a hate crime for allegedly stabbing and killing a 6-year-old boy and critically injuring the child's mother. Law enforcement says the attack is connected to the Israel-Hamas war.

The latest: The Department of Justice has "opened a federal hate crimes investigation into the events leading to the tragic death of Wadea Al-Fayoume and the serious injuries suffered by his mother, Hanaan Shahin," per a DOJ statement late Sunday.

Driving the news: The Will County Sheriff's Office said Sunday that Joseph Czuba, a 71-year-old landlord, was charged with first-degree murder, aggravated battery and a hate crime for allegedly attacking two of his tenants in their Plainfield Township residence.

• Detectives say Czuba stabbed the boy 26 times on Saturday and targeted the family because they're Muslim and due to "the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict involving Hamas and the Israelis," the sheriff's office said in a statement.

What they're saying: President Biden in a Sunday night statement condemned the attack offered his condolences and prayers to the family, including for the mother's recovery, and to the broader Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim American communities.

• "The child's Palestinian Muslim family came to America seeking what we all seek — a refuge to live, learn, and pray in peace," Biden said.

Meanwhile, Ahmed Rehab, CAIR-Chicago's executive director, said Wadea was "a lovely boy" who loved his family, friends, soccer and basketball, and who "paid the price for the atmosphere of hate and othering."

• "Let's be clear," Illinois State Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid said at the news conference, "This was directly connected to the dehumanizing of Palestinians that has been allowed over the last week by our media, by our elected officials who have lacked the moral compass and lacked the courage to call for something as simple as de-escalation and peace."

Context: The Chicago City Council passed a contentious resolution on Friday to "stand in support of Israel" in the Israel-Hamas war. Some alders wanted the resolution to acknowledge the history of violence on Palestinians by the Israeli government but were not successful.

• The debate was so heated that Mayor Brandon Johnson had to clear the chamber of spectators.
• On Saturday, thousands marched in a rally downtown in support of the Palestinian people. Meanwhile, a vigil was held in Evanston for a local mother and daughter believed to be held hostage by Hamas.

The big picture: Police across the U.S. have been on alert for an uptick in hate crimes and threats against Jews and Muslims over the last week, Axios' Russell Contreras reports.

• Three decades of data from the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism reviewed by Axios show that conflicts in the Middle East involving Israel frequently lead to big jumps in hate crimes here — particularly antisemitic attacks.

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"The Drive," for the first time this year, has caught up with "the Lite" at the top of the radio ratings.

Driving the news: The two music stations have similar formats, but WDRV-FM plays more classic rock to the softer jams broadcast down the dial on WLIT-FM.

Flashback: Even with this month's drop, WLIT-FM has had a tremendous year beyond its usual surge during the winter months when it goes all-holiday-music.

• The holiday takeover starts next month, so expect the Lite to reclaim the top spot.

Biggest jump: The other adult contemporary stalwart, WTMX-FM, or "The Mix," saw substantial gains, pushing them closer to the top five.

• News/talk stations WBBM-AM and WGN-AM did well in September.

Biggest tumble: WXRT-FM dropped again, but is still among the top stations.

Zoom out: There are many reasons for ratings to fluctuate month to month, according to former Chicago radio programmer Todd Manley. Seasonal listening patterns, cultural events and even who is being surveyed may have an impact.

• "The ratings panelists (people meter participants) may have changed, meaning a station lost or gained a heavy user," Manley tells Axios.

Of note: These ratings don't break down precisely when people are tuning in, nor specific listener demographics.

Full disclosure: Justin has worked for a number of these stations.

🚌 Mayor Brandon Johnson and some alders will travel to the southern border to assess the migrant crisis firsthand this week. (ABC 7)

💉 Chicagoans are struggling to find the RSV vaccine, even though doctors are recommending it. (Block Club)

🏀 An exhibition at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa between the DePaul Blue Demons and the Iowa Hawkeyes set a record for the largest crowd in women's basketball history. (AP)

The demand for early dinner reservations in Chicago has grown since 2019 — and not just among seniors, according to new Resy data.

Why it matters: These meals may be better for your metabolic health, reports Axios' Carly Mallenbaum.

👋 Hi, it's Justin!

Quarterback Justin Fields left the game with a hand injury yesterday and the Bears fell to the Vikings at Soldier Field, 19-13.

Why it matters: The Bears were unable to build off last week's win, instead losing at home to take sole possession of last place in the NFC North.

What happened: Fields had thrown for just 58 yards when he was injured in the third quarter, but the Bears were trailing by just six points.

• Backup quarterback Tyson Bagent entered and quickly coughed up a fumble that led to a Vikings defensive touchdown.

Yes, but: Bagent had the lone Bears touchdown, scoring on a quarterback sneak in the fourth quarter.

Reality check: The Bears were driving late in the game trailing by six points, but Bagent threw an interception that iced the win for Minnesota.

What's next: The team should give an update on the extent of Fields' hand injury and whether he'll miss next week's game at Soldier Field versus the Raiders.

⭐️ Six word review: Eberflus is winless against the (NFC) North.

"A reminder that life moves on and things change. I never thought I'd say that about a Burger King location, but it's been a strangely significant part of the show that has led to so many wonderful opportunities for us."

The Burger King closed up shop recently.