A west suburban man faces a hate crime charge after he allegedly spat at and hit a man after shouting obscenities about Iran at a Crave Cookies in Lombard, DuPage County prosecutors announced over the weekend.
Justin Ward, 34, of Lombard, was ordered held pending trial at a Saturday hearing. He was charged with a hate crime and aggravated battery in a public place, both felonies.
“The type of behavior alleged in this case will never be tolerated in DuPage County,” said DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin. “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.”
Ward allegedly started shouting at Ahmed Khan, 31, in the parking lot Friday around 9 p.m., and when he was ignored, followed him inside the bakery. Ward then yelled at Khan, “(expletive) Iran,” “This is America” and “I can’t (expletive) stand you Indians,” prosecutors said.
Ward then spat at Khan and hit him in the neck and face, prosecutors alleged.
Khan told the Tribune he was at the shop to grab a snack for himself and his wife before he started praying for Ramadan. At first, he said he was “confused” and “shocked” when Ward started yelling obscenities, especially because there’s a large Muslim community in Lombard.
But then he felt fear. He said he tried to do everything possible to de-escalate the situation.
“What he had in his hand was an alcoholic beverage,” Khan said. “I was mostly fearful that he’d use it to slam against my head.”
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Khan said he was upset that Ward used his perceived identity to allegedly attack him, and that he worries racism and Islamophobia will increase as war continues between the U.S. and Iran. Khan noted he is Pakistani, not Iranian.
The DuPage County public defender’s office, which is representing Ward, didn’t immediately return a request for comment.
While Khan walked out to his car, Ward followed him. He eventually fled the scene when he heard police sirens, prosecutors said.
Lombard police watched video that Khan had taken and recognized Ward, whom they previously had contact with, prosecutors said. They then arrested him at his home.
Ward has a pending aggravated battery case and was found guilty of domestic battery after throwing a pot of hot chili on a 79-year-old deaf woman in 2024, among other cases, prosecutors said.
Lombard police Chief Joe Grage also called Ward’s alleged actions “completely unacceptable” and said they “have no place here.”
“Acts of hate and racism go against the values we share as a community and will not be tolerated,” he said.
Hafsa Haider, a spokesperson for Chicago’s Council on American Islamic Relations, commended the police and state’s attorney’s office for quickly bringing hate crime charges in this “disturbing incident.”
“No one should be targeted, harassed, or assaulted because of their perceived ethnicity, religion, or national origin,” she said. “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.”