A Tinley Park man is facing charges after he shot and killed his wife and three daughters during a heated argument in their home last Sunday. Maher Kassem, 63, has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder, according to the Cook County State's Attorney's Office detailed in a report by CBS News. During his court appearance, it was revealed that the argument allegedly began over family finances.
The gruesome details emerged indicating that after an initial argument with one daughter, Kassem's wife and other two daughters became involved, trying to urge him to calm down. Instead, the dispute escalated, and Kassem reportedly used two guns to fatally shoot his family members. As reported by Chicago Sun-Times, the chaos unfolded with Kassem's 19-year-old son waking to horrifically discover the bodies of his mother and siblings.
All victims were found in the basement of the family home located in the 7400 block of 173rd Place. Majeda Kassem, 53, and her daughters, twins Halema and Hanan, both 25 and 24-year-old Zahia, all suffered gunshot wounds to their heads and bodies. Kassem's son, who was present during the incident, was left unharmed physically.
When police arrived at the scene in response to Kassem's 911 call, they recovered two guns along with Kassem, who displayed little remorse, as per the body camera footage. According to prosecutors, "The defendant pointed in the direction of the basement. The officer asked the defendant who else was there, and the defendant stated, 'They're gone,'" as Kassem surrendered to the officers. This information was obtained by CBS News.
In the wake of this domestic tragedy, the local community has expressed their shock and grief. Neighbors described the family members as independent and ambitious, with one daughter having recently graduated with a master's degree in speech therapy. Mourners gathered at the Mosque Foundation in Bridgeview for prayers to honor the slain family members. A vigil was held Tuesday night, just hours after funeral services for the women had concluded.
Kassem, who reportedly has no previous criminal background and possesses a valid firearms ownership identification card, is set to return to court on February 16. As the neighborhood tries to make sense of the catastrophe, one haunting sentiment lingers from the words of a neighbor in an interview with Chicago Sun-Times: "I've known the guy for 30 years. I would have never expected anything like this."
