Vermont Shooting: Man Pleads Not Guilty in Attack on Palestinian Students
A 48-year-old man, Jason J. Eaton, faced charges of attempted murder in Chittenden County Criminal Court on Monday, following a weekend shooting in Burlington, Vermont, that wounded three college students of Palestinian descent. Eaton, who appeared via video feed from jail, pleaded not guilty and was ordered to remain held without bond.
The incident, occurring on Saturday evening in Vermont’s largest city, is being investigated as a suspected hate-motivated crime by local police. The victims, Hisham Awartani, Tahseen Aliahmad, and Kinnan Abdalhamid, all 20 years old, were shot near the University of Vermont. They were reportedly wearing Palestinian keffiyeh scarves and speaking a mix of English and Arabic when confronted by the gunman.
All three victims, visiting Burlington for the Thanksgiving holiday, remain hospitalized with serious injuries. Eaton, accused of opening fire outside his apartment, was apprehended following an intense manhunt involving local, state, and federal agencies, including the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
During his arrest, Eaton reportedly said to an ATF agent, “I’ve been waiting for you,” according to a police affidavit. A search of his apartment revealed a handgun, ammunition, a .22-caliber rifle, and two shotguns.
Sarah Fair George, Chittenden County’s state’s attorney, highlighted the hateful nature of the act while noting the ongoing investigation into potential hate crime charges. The Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad also expressed concerns about the incident’s possible hate-motivated origins.
This shooting coincides with a reported increase in anti-Islamic, anti-Arab, and antisemitic incidents in the US. US Attorney General Merrick Garland and the White House have both responded, condemning the violence and affirming the nation’s stance against hate.
The three students, who attend colleges in Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut, are known to be of Palestinian descent, from the West Bank. Two are US citizens and the third is a legal resident.
