In a shocking incident in Burlington, Vermont, three Palestinian college students were shot by a white man armed with a handgun as they were on their way to a family home for Thanksgiving dinner. The suspect, identified as Jason J Eaton, 48, was arrested on Sunday afternoon. The Burlington Police Department announced that Eaton was taken into custody near the scene of the crime, as evidence found in his apartment gave investigators probable cause to believe that he was responsible for the shooting.

The victims, Hisham Awartani, Tahseen Ali Ahmad, and Kinnan Abdalhamid, all 20 years old, were rushed to the University of Vermont Medical Center. Two of them were listed in stable condition, while the third was in serious condition. The Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee stated that while all three survived the initial shooting, one of the students sustained critical and serious injuries.

This incident has raised concerns about hate crimes and anti-Muslim sentiment in the United States, particularly in light of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war overseas. The victims were reportedly wearing traditional Palestinian Keffiyeh scarves and speaking Arabic when the gunman opened fire, leading to suspicions of a hate-motivated crime. Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad stated, "In this charged moment, no one can look at this incident and not suspect that it may have been a hate-motivated crime."

Authorities are currently investigating whether the shooting was indeed a hate crime. The suspect, Jason Eaton, is expected to be arraigned on Monday. The Burlington Police Department plans to hold a press conference to discuss the case further.

This incident comes after a recent rise in anti-Muslim and anti-Arab bias incidents in the US during the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. Last month, a 6-year-old Palestinian-American boy was fatally stabbed 26 times in an Illinois hate crime.

The FBI is assisting local police in the investigation, providing resources such as computer and cell phone analysis, victims services, and forensic tools. Ballistic evidence recovered from the scene will be analyzed through a federal database. Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger emphasized that the possibility of a hate crime is being prioritized in the investigation.

As this is a developing story, more updates are expected to follow.