Police have disclosed chilling details surrounding the apprehension of Jason J. Eaton, a 48-year-old suspect accused of shooting three Palestinian students near the University of Vermont campus. Eaton was arrested in Burlington, close to the attack site, which is under investigation as a potential hate crime.
The victims, identified as Hisham Awartani, Kinnan Abdalhamid, and Tahseen Ahmad, all 20 years old, were allegedly ambushed by Eaton as they walked to a family Thanksgiving dinner. The friends, conversing in English and Arabic, with two of them wearing keffiyehs, were targeted in the incident.
During his arraignment in court, Mr. Eaton pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempted murder. In a press conference after the arraignment, Burlington Police shared updates on the case. Remarkably, it was revealed that Eaton did not leave his residence after the shooting. When approached by the police on Sunday, he reportedly stated, “I’ve been waiting for you.”
President Joe Biden released a statement on the shooting Monday afternoon following a call he had with Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger. Police have disclosed chilling
Read the full statment below:
“Jill and I were horrified to learn that three college students of Palestinian descent, two of whom are American citizens, were shot Saturday in Burlington, Vermont. They were simply spending Thanksgiving gathered with family and loved ones,” the president said.
“We join Americans across the country in praying for their full recovery, and we send our deepest condolences to their families. While we are waiting for more facts, we know this: there is absolutely no place for violence or hate in America. Period. No person should worry about being shot at while going about their daily lives. And far too many Americans know a family member injured or killed as a result of gun violence.
“We cannot and we will not accept that.Earlier today, I spoke to Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger to offer my support. We are grateful to the Burlington Police Department – as well as the FBI, ATF, and other law enforcement partners – for their swift work identifying and arresting a suspect. Our Administration will provide any additional federal resources needed to assist in the investigation.”