Vermont Police Arrest Suspect in Shooting of 3 Palestinian Students
- A suspect, Jason J. Eaton, 48, was arrested in connection to the shooting of three Palestinian college students in Burlington, Vermont. The incident has drawn national attention due to increasing levels of hate crimes since the Israel-Hamas war. Eaton was arrested near the scene of the attack, and a search of his home uncovered evidence leading investigators to believe that he perpetrated the shooting.
- The students – Hisham Awartani, Kinnan Abdalhamid, and Tahseen Ahmad – who were all 20 years old, were visiting for the Thanksgiving holiday when they were shot while walking on the street. Two of the students are in stable condition, and the third is battling more serious injuries. Investigators are considering whether the shooting might have been a hate crime; however, the charges Eaton is facing have not yet been detailed.
- The victims’ families and civil rights groups are urging investigators to consider the possibility of a hate crime, given the recent surge in anti-Muslim and anti-Arab bias incidents. Abed Ayoub, an attorney for the victims’ families, believes the students were targeted, in part, because two of them were wearing keffiyehs – traditional Palestinian scarves.
Arrest in Vermont Shooting of Palestinian Students Amid Rising Hate Crime Concerns
A suspect has been arrested in connection with the shooting of three Palestinian college students in Burlington, Vermont. The case has drawn national attention due to rising hate crimes since the Israel-Hamas conflict escalated.
Jason J. Eaton, 48, was arrested near the crime scene and evidence discovered in his apartment provided investigators probable cause to believe he was the perpetrator.
Officials are examining whether the shooting was a hate crime. Eaton is expected to be arraigned on Monday, with a police conference planned to discuss the case.
The students, all aged 20, were shot “without speaking” while walking on Saturday night. Two are in stable condition while the third suffered serious injuries, with two shot in the torso and one in the lower extremities.
The victims, identified as Hisham Awartani, Kinnan Abdalhamid, and Tahseen Ahmad, attend Brown University, Haverford College, and Trinity College respectively. Their families and civil rights groups are urging investigators to consider the shooting as a possible hate crime amidst a reported rise in anti-Muslim and anti-Arab bias incidents.
Police Chief Jon Murad acknowledged that the shooting may have been a hate-motivated crime. Attorney for the victims’ families, Abed Ayoub, believes the students were targeted partially due to two of them wearing traditional Palestinian scarves.
The students were visiting Burlington for the Thanksgiving holiday, and were out for a walk before dinner when they were shot. They were confronted by the suspect, described as a white man, who shot at least four rounds before fleeing on foot, according to police.
Two of the victims were found at the scene while the third was located nearby. All three were taken to the University of Vermont Medical Center for treatment.
![\"From](\"https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/231126151719-palestinian-students-shot-vermont.jpg?q=w_1110,c_fill\")
—
Read More USA News
Leave a Comment