National Today: Lombard Man Charged with Hate Crime After Spitting and Yelling Obscenities at Pakistani Man
The Crave Cookies store in Lombard on March, 16, 2026. A west suburban man faces a hate crime charge after he allegedly shouted obscenities against Iran then spit and hit a man at the store. (Josh Boland/Chicago Tribune)
Mar. 17, 2026 at 12:34am
Prosecutors say Justin Ward shouted slurs about Iran and attacked the victim at a local bakery.
A 34-year-old Lombard man named Justin Ward has been charged with a hate crime and aggravated battery after allegedly shouting obscenities about Iran, spitting at, and hitting a 31-year-old Pakistani man named Ahmed Khan at a Crave Cookies bakery in Lombard, Illinois. Ward has a history of prior violent offenses.
This incident highlights the ongoing problem of hate crimes and bias-motivated attacks targeting minority communities, especially Muslim Americans, amid rising tensions between the U.S. and Iran. It also raises concerns about repeat offenders and the need for stronger accountability measures.
“The type of behavior alleged in this case will never be tolerated in DuPage County. DuPage County is welcoming to all, and my office stands ready to file the appropriate charges involving any attack on another individual based on their race, religion, sexual orientation or any other individual characteristic.” — Robert Berlin, DuPage County State's Attorney
“Acts of hate and racism go against the values we share as a community and will not be tolerated.” — Joe Grage, Lombard Police Chief
“No one should be targeted, harassed, or assaulted because of their perceived ethnicity, religion, or national origin. When bias-motivated attacks occur, it is critical that authorities respond decisively to send a clear message that hate and intimidation will not be tolerated in our communities.” — Hafsa Haider, Spokesperson, Council on American-Islamic Relations Chicago