Burlington, Vermont, was struck by a shocking and deeply disturbing incident on Saturday evening when three college students of Palestinian descent were shot and wounded. The victims, identified as Hisham Awartani, Tahseen Ahmed, and Kinnan Abdalhamid, had been visiting the home of one of the victim's relatives for Thanksgiving when the incident occurred. The shooting took place on Prospect Street, and the victims were confronted by an armed white man who allegedly discharged at least four rounds without uttering a word.

According to the Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad, two of the victims were shot in the torso while the third suffered injuries to his lower extremities. Although two of the victims were in stable condition, the third victim sustained more serious injuries. The victims were quickly transported to the University of Vermont Medical Center for medical treatment.

The police have yet to identify the suspect or establish a motive for the shooting. Chief Murad urged the public not to jump to conclusions based on incomplete information and asked for patience as they conduct a meticulous investigation. However, he did acknowledge the possibility that the incident could be a hate crime and has already contacted federal investigative and prosecutorial partners to prepare for that potential outcome.

While the victims' names were not initially released by the police, their families later identified them as Hisham Awartani, a student at Brown University, Kinnan Abdalhamid, a student at Haverford College, and Tahseen Ahmed, a student at Trinity College. The families issued a joint statement expressing their devastation and concern for their children's well-being. They called for a thorough investigation and for the incident to be treated as a hate crime to ensure justice is served and prevent such heinous acts from recurring.

The shooting has sparked national attention, with politicians and organizations condemning the attack. President Joe Biden has been briefed on the incident, and Senator Bernie Sanders took to social media to express his shock and call for a full investigation. The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) has also voiced its concern, stating that it believes the shooting was motivated by hate. The ADC has offered support to the victims' families and is calling on law enforcement to thoroughly investigate the incident as a hate crime.

This shooting comes amidst a wave of heightened tensions and hate crimes in the United States following the Israel-Hamas conflict earlier this year. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has reported an "unprecedented surge" in anti-Arab and anti-Muslim bias incidents in the country since the start of the conflict. In October, a 6-year-old Palestinian American boy was stabbed to death by his family's landlord in what authorities are calling a hate crime.

As the investigation into the Burlington shooting continues, authorities are appealing to the public for any information that may lead to the identification and apprehension of the suspect or suspects. The Council on American-Islamic Relations has offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator(s). The community is rallying behind the victims and their families, calling for justice and an end to such acts of hate and violence.