Suspect, 48, arrested in shooting of 3 Palestinian students in Vermont

Jason J. Eaton was apprehended on Sunday afternoon, November 26, Burlington Police Department said

Authorities have reportedly arrested a man accused of being involved in the shooting of three Palestinian college students in Burlington, Vermont. 48-year-old Jason J. Eaton was apprehended on Sunday afternoon, November 26, Burlington Police Department said.

This undated handout photo provided by the Institute for Middle East Understanding shows Hisham Awartani, Tahseen Ali, and Kenan Abdulhamid, who were shot on their way to a family dinner (Photo by HANDOUT / Institute for Middle East Understanding / AFP)

According to police, Jason lives in an apartment building near the place where the shooting took place. He was reportedly arrested at the site of the attack, the Daily Mail reported.

The victims have been identified as Hisham Awartani, Kinnan Abdel Hamid and Tahseen Ahmed. They were all 20 years old. Civil rights organisations and the victims’ families are urging authorities to investigate a possible bias by the attacker.

Previous reports claimed the men were under medical care. The Burlington Police Department said that the students were attacked while they were walking on Prospect Street while visiting a relative for Thanksgiving holiday. The release said that “they were confronted by a white man with a handgun.” “Without speaking, he discharged at least four rounds from the pistol and is believed to have fled on foot,” police said. While two of the students are US citizens, one is a legal resident.

Two of the students were wearing keffiyehs, traditional Palestinian scarves, the police department said. While two were shot in the torso, one was shot in the “lower extremities.” The victims were taken to the University of Vermont Medical Center.

According to authorities, “there is no additional information to suggest the suspect’s motive.” The police also said that ballistic evidence from the shooting collected by detectives is set to be submitted to a federal database. On Sunday, November 26, the FBI said it was “prepared to investigate” the incident.

Before the suspect’s arrest, the victims’ family told law enforcement in a joint statement, “We will not be comfortable until the shooter is brought to justice. No family should ever have to endure this pain and agony. Our children are dedicated students who deserve to be able to focus on their studies and building their futures.”