Burlington man accused of shooting 3 Palestinian college students due in court Friday

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Nearly four months after three college students of Palestinian descent were injured in a shooting in Burlington, there are still few answers about the possible motive. On Friday, the man accused of the unprovoked attack is expected back in Chittenden County Court.

Since his arraignment in late November, 48-year-old Jason Eaton has been held in prison on three counts of attempted murder.

The shooting happened on a Saturday night on North Prospect Street. Tasheen Ahmed, Kinnan Abdalhamid, and Hisham Awartani were out for a walk. Police say the three college students who are all of Palestinian descent, were visiting Burlington on the Thanksgiving break. They were speaking Arabic and two were wearing keffiyehs, traditional Palestinian scarves. Police have maintained there is no additional information to suggest a potential motive.

Awartani, the most seriously wounded, remains paralyzed from the chest down. Abdalhamid and Ahmad were hospitalized and released.

The triple shooting sparked international headlines and prompted condemnation from the community, demanding authorities to investigate it as a hate crime.

“Although we do not yet have evidence to support a hate crime enhancement, I do want to be clear that there’s no question this was a hateful act,” Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George said following Eaton’s arrest.

According to legal experts, proving the elements of a hate crime can be extremely difficult and require sufficient evidence relating to what was recovered during a search warrant, or based on statements the suspect made to police.

Burlington Police say officers stumbled upon Eaton during a routine canvass at 69 North Prospect, where the shooting took place. The affidavit says Eaton told the officers “he’d been waiting for them” and that he asked for a lawyer. In his apartment, police matched a gun and ammunition to bullets found at the crime scene.

Eaton has requested to be in person for his status Friday afternoon status conference hearing. Both sides will meet before Superior Court Judge Kevin Griffin to discuss the next steps in the case. If convicted, Eaton faces 20 years to life in prison.