Suspect Arrested After Three Palestinian ...

Suspect Arrested After Three Palestinian Students Shot in Vermont

Nov 27, 2023

Suspect Arrested After Three Palestinian Students Shot in Vermont



In a shocking incident labeled as a "bias attack," three highly accomplished Palestinian college students were shot while on their way to a family dinner in Burlington, Vermont. The victims, who attend prestigious universities including Harvard, Brown University, and Trinity University, were targeted in what is believed to be a hate crime, according to reports from the New York Post.

The Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) identified the victims as Hiham Awartani, Tahseen Ali, and Kenan Abdulhamid, who had gathered to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday break.

Eyewitnesses reported that the suspect, who was on foot, approached the victims and fired at least four shots without uttering a word. Two of the victims were wearing keffiyehs, traditional Palestinian scarves, at the time of the assault, as confirmed by Chief Murad.

The injured students were rushed to the University of Vermont Medical Center, where two of them are currently in intensive care. One of the victims is said to be in critical condition, having sustained severe injuries.

While the motive behind the shooting remains unclear, the incident has already sparked discussions among pro-Palestinian groups, with many casting blame for the attack.

On Sunday, authorities detained and later arrested Jason Eaton, a 48-year-old resident of the building near the crime scene. Eaton was taken into custody near the location of the shooting and subsequently underwent a search of his apartment prior to his arrest, according to police reports.

Eaton now faces three counts of aggravated assault and is set to appear before a judge for arraignment on Monday. The Burlington Police Department has yet to comment further on the incident when contacted by Newsweek.

Hisham Awartani, Kinnan Abdalhamid, and Tahseen Ali Ahmad have been identified as the victims by their families, as stated in a post by the Institute for Middle East Understanding. Awartani attends Brown University, Abdalhamid is a student at Haverford College, and Ahmed is enrolled at Trinity College.

Expressing their concern and urging a thorough investigation, the families released a statement emphasizing the need for law enforcement to treat the attack as a hate crime. The families have made it clear that they will not rest easy until justice is served and the perpetrator is brought to justice.

As the investigation develops, authorities have released a photo of the suspect, Jason Eaton, who was taken into custody on Sunday. The Burlington Police Department is requesting anyone with information relating to the incident to come forward and assist in the ongoing investigation.

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