BURLINGTON, VT – A gunman injured three college students of Palestinian descent on Saturday evening near the University of Vermont, Burlington police reported. The incident is under investigation as a potential hate crime.
The assailant, armed with a pistol, confronted the victims on the street and fired four shots. The victims, all 20 years old, include two U.S. citizens and one legal resident. Two were wearing a keffiyeh, a traditional Middle Eastern scarf, and speaking Arabic at the time.
Police Chief Jon Murad highlighted the possible hate crime angle, noting cooperation with federal agencies. Mayor Miro Weinberger emphasized the seriousness of this potential motive.
The victims, identified as Hisham Awartani, Kinnan Abdel Hamid, and Tahseen Ahmed, are students at Brown University, Haverford College, and Trinity College, respectively. They were in Burlington for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Their families, along with the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, urge treating the case as a hate crime. This follows a national increase in anti-Islamic and antisemitic incidents.
As of Sunday, the victims remain hospitalized, with one sustaining serious injuries. The search for the suspect continues.