Three college students of Palestinian descent were shot by an assailant in Burlington, Vermont, on Nov. 25, according to the Burlington Police Department.
The three students were walking on Prospect Street while visiting a relative’s home in Burlington for the Thanksgiving holiday when they were “confronted by a white male with a handgun,” police said.
“Without speaking, he discharged at least four rounds from the pistol and is believed to have fled on foot,” police stated.
Two victims were shot in the torso and one in the “lower extremities.” They’re currently receiving medical care, according to authorities, who listed two in stable condition and one as having sustained “much more serious injuries.”
A suspect identified as Jason J. Eaton, 48, was arrested on Nov. 26. Police discovered that the suspect was living in a building near where the shooting took place.
Police said two of the victims were wearing keffiyehs during the assault, but that no information is available to suggest the suspect’s motive at this time.
Police Chief Jon Murad said that authorities are still at “the earliest stages” of investigation.
“In this charged moment, no one can look at this incident and not suspect that it may have been a hate-motivated crime. I have already been in touch with federal investigatory and prosecutorial partners to prepare for that if it’s proven,” Chief Murad said.
Authorities Urged to Investigate Shooting as ‘Hate Crime’
Earlier, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said it was offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the shooter’s arrest. It also urged authorities to investigate “a possible bias motive” for the shooting.“We call on law enforcement to conduct a thorough investigation, including treating this as a hate crime. We will not be comfortable until the shooter is brought to justice,” the statement reads.
According to the Ramallah Friends School board, the assailant shot Mr. Awartani in the back and Mr. Ahmad in the chest, and Mr. Abdalhamid sustained minor injuries. The victims were studying at different U.S. colleges.
The Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee said the assailant “shouted and harassed the victims” before shooting them. It urged Vermont’s law enforcement to investigate the case as a hate crime.
“The surge in anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian sentiment we are experiencing is unprecedented, and this is another example of that hate turning violent.”
Vermont Gov. Phil Scott called the incident “a tragedy” and expressed his hopes for the victims’ full recovery. Mr. Scott said that the Burlington Police will have his full support in their investigation of the case.
“We must come together in these difficult times—it is the only way to put a stop to the violence we’re seeing.”
The ongoing Israel–Hamas war in Gaza, sparked by Hamas’s Oct. 7 deadly terror attack on Israeli border communities, has heightened tensions around the world, including in the United States.
“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 told reporters on Oct. 14.
