3 college students of Palestinian descent shot in Vermont in possible hate crime, authorities say

The FBI is investigating the shootings of three young men of Palestinian descent who were injured near the University of Vermont while visiting for a Thanksgiving holiday gathering, in what authorities said may have been a hate crime.

The shootings occurred at about 6:25 p.m. Saturday near the University of Vermont campus, according to the Burlington Police Department. Police have arrested a suspect.

Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives arrested Jason J. Eaton, 48, while conducting a search of the shooting area in Burlington at 3:38 p.m. Sunday, the Burlington Police Department said in a statement.

Authorities collected evidence during a search of Eaton’s apartment in a building in front of the shooting location. He is scheduled to be arraigned Monday, police said.

“My deepest condolences go out to the victims and their families,” Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad said in a news release Sunday. “In this charged moment, no one can look at this incident and not suspect that it may have been a hate-motivated crime. And I have already been in touch with federal investigatory and prosecutorial partners to prepare for that if it’s proven."

Two of the victims are in stable condition and the other sustained "much more serious injuries," according to police. The three victims, all age 20 and college students, were visiting one of the victim’s relatives in Burlington, Vermont, when they were approached by a white man with a handgun.

Police said there is no additional information to suggest the suspect’s motive for the attack.

The incident is being investigated by the Burlington Police Department. According to Sarah Ruane, an FBI spokesperson based in Albany, New York, the bureau was investigating the incident for any evidence of a "potential federal violation."

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What happened during the shootings?

While walking to the home of one of the victim’s relatives near the University of Vermont's campus on Saturday, the three men were "confronted by a white male with a handgun," according to police.

"The suspect was on foot in the area. Without speaking, he discharged at least four rounds from the pistol and is believed to have fled on foot," police said. “All three victims were struck, two in their torsos and one in the lower extremities.”

Two of the victims were wearing keffiyehs, traditional Palestinian scarves, at the time of the assault, according to police. The victims were transported to the University of Vermont Medical Center.

In a statement Sunday, the University of Vermont said "we have no indication" that the shootings are connected to the university but noted that the investigation is still ongoing.

Who were the victims?

Two of the victims were U.S. citizens and the third is a legal resident, according to police.

In statements from the victims' families, released by the Institute for Middle East Understanding, and the Ramallah Friends School, they identified the victims as Hisham Awartani, a student at Brown University in Rhode Island; Kinnan Abdalhamid, a student at Haverford College in Pennsylvania; and Tahseen Ahmad, a student at Trinity College in Connecticut.

According to the Ramallah Friends School, a Quaker-run private school in the city of Ramallah in the West Bank, all three of the victims had attended and graduated from the school.

"We are extremely concerned about the safety and well-being of our children," the families said in their joint statement. "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."

Officials at Brown University, Haverford College, and Trinity College each confirmed in separate statements Sunday that the victims are students at their institutions. College officials also condemned the act of violence and asked communities to support each other.

Haverford College President Wendy Raymond and Dean of College John McKnight said Abdalhamid, Awartani and Ahmad were "lifelong friends." According to The Brown Daily Herald, the student newspaper of Brown University, school president Christina Paxson said the campus is organizing a vigil Monday to bring the community together.

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Advocacy groups, US officials react to shootings

Before Burlington police issued their news release, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee released a statement Sunday saying that the victims were Palestinian-American college students and that there is “reason to believe this shooting occurred because the victims are Arab.”

The organization said the three victims were conversing in Arabic when a man shouted and harassed them before he began shooting. But Murad has urged "the public to avoid making conclusions based on statements from uninvolved parties who know even less.”

The White House said President Joe Biden was briefed on the attack and will continue to receive updates as law enforcement gathers more information.

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders said the shooting was "shocking and deeply upsetting."

"Hate has no place here, or anywhere. I look forward to a full investigation. My thoughts are with them and their families," Sanders said.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has offered a $10,000 reward for information on the shooting, the organization said in a statement.

“Due to the unprecedented spike in anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian hate and violence we have witnessed in recent weeks, local, state and national law enforcement authorities must investigate a possible bias motive for the shooting of these three young men,” CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said in the statement. “We hope our reward will result in information leading to an arrest in this case."

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The shootings come amid a spike in hate crimes across the United States since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7.

According to CAIR, there has been an “unprecedented” increase in complaints of anti-Muslim or anti-Arab bias since violence has escalated in the Middle East. CAIR said it has received 1,283 requests for help and reports of bias between Oct. 7 and Nov. 4.

Saturday's incident also followed the fatal stabbing of a 6-year-old Palestinian-American boy on Oct. 14, who was attacked by his family's landlord in what authorities believe was a hate crime and a targeted attack in response to the war.

Contributing: Burlington Free Press Staff; The Associated Press