In Vermont, a 48-year-old man was apprehended in connection with the shooting of three men of Palestinian descent.
On Sunday, Jason J. Eaton was apprehended near the site of a shooting incident in Burlington, Vermont, as announced by the local police. Following his arrest, officers conducted a search of Eaton’s home.
The shooting, which occurred near the University of Vermont on Saturday, targeted three men of Palestinian descent: Hisham Awartani, Tahseen Ahmed, and Kinnan Abdalhamid. At the time of the attack, the victims were engaged in a conversation in Arabic, and two of them were wearing traditional keffiyeh scarves. According to police reports, the assailant, identified as a white male, approached the men with a gun outside a residence and opened fire without uttering a word, discharging at least four rounds before fleeing the scene.
Two of the victims sustained gunshot wounds to the torso, and the third was hit in the lower extremities. While two of them are currently in stable condition, the third victim has suffered more severe injuries. Eaton, the suspect, resided in an apartment building across from the shooting location on Prospect Street and was arrested as federal agents were canvassing the area.
Further investigation led to a search of Eaton’s home, where evidence was gathered to support probable cause for his involvement in the shooting. The police have not disclosed a potential motive for the attack, and Eaton is expected to appear in court on Monday morning.
Eaton’s mother, Mary Reed, expressed shock at the incident, noting her son’s struggles with mental health and job security. She recalled him being in a good mood during their Thanksgiving meeting. Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad cautioned the public against making premature conclusions, emphasizing the need for thorough investigation. He acknowledged the possibility of the crime being hate-motivated and noted ongoing coordination with federal authorities.
This attack occurs amidst a rise in Islamophobic and antisemitic incidents in the U.S., with the FBI warning of potential attacks by homegrown extremists. The three victims, two U.S. citizens and one legal resident, have academic ties to Haverford College, Brown University, and Trinity College. They were visiting a relative’s home for a Thanksgiving gathering when the shooting took place. The families of the victims, through a statement issued by the Institute for Middle East Understanding, have urged for the incident to be investigated as a hate crime. In response to the shooting, the Council on American-Islamic Relations offered a reward for information leading to an arrest, and Ambassador Husam Zomlot has called for an end to hate crimes against Palestinians.
