Three Palestinian students were shot near the University of Vermont on Saturday night, with two of the victims in stable condition and the third facing more serious injuries, according to a report from the Burlington Police Department. The victims, all 20-year-old men, were on their way to a Thanksgiving dinner when they were shot, with two of them wearing Palestinian keffiyeh scarves at the time of the shooting. The shooter fired at least four rounds from a pistol, striking all three students. The students had attended a Quaker school together and now they are college students at Brown University, Haverford College, and Trinity College.
This incident comes at a time of heightened Islamophobia and antisemitism, amidst the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas war. President Joe Biden had previously announced a program to counter Islamophobia, and the families of the victims are calling for the shooting to be treated as a hate crime. In a statement, Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad stated that the incident may be hate-motivated and is being prepared for investigation as such. Hate crimes are considered federal offenses, and the FBI is investigating to see if there is evidence of a “federal violation”.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is offering a $10,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the shooter. Senator Bernie Sanders also issued a statement, expressing shock and deep upset over the shooting, emphasizing that “hate has no place here, or anywhere”.
The incident has sparked concerns and condemnation, with authorities and the community demanding a full investigation into the incident.
