Full Breakdown
Vermont Man Convicted of Attempted Murder in Shooting of Three Palestinian Students
By Drooid · · How we work
The Conviction
A Burlington jury found Jason Eaton, 51, guilty on three counts of attempted second-degree murder for the November 25, 2023 shooting of Hisham Awartani, Tahseen Aliahmad and Kinnan Abdalhamid. The verdict, read on September 21, rejected Eaton’s claim of legal insanity and leaves him facing up to life in prison, with a presumptive minimum term of 20 years on each count.
Background and Context
The attack occurred days after Thanksgiving and weeks after the Israel-Hamas war began, a period marked by heightened bias in the United States. The three men—students at Brown, Trinity College and Haverford—had traveled to Vermont to visit Awartani’s grandmother. While walking near the University of Vermont campus, they spoke English and Arabic; two wore traditional Palestinian keffiyeh scarves.
Timeline
- November 25, 2023 – Eaton approached the trio from a porch, drew a handgun and opened fire.
- Week-long trial (2026) – Victims and psychiatric experts testified.
- September 21 – Jury deliberated for several hours and returned a unanimous guilty verdict, rejecting the insanity defense.
Data and Statistics
- Victims: Awartani was shot in the chest; the bullet ricocheted off his scapula, leaving him paraplegic from the waist down. Aliahmad sustained a collarbone wound; Abdalhamid was hit in the right buttock. All survived.
- Firearms: Crime-lab testing identified a Ruger .380-calibre handgun as the weapon; three shotguns were also recovered from Eaton’s apartment.
- Potential sentence: Up to life without parole; each count carries a minimum of 20 years.
Official Statements & Responses
Judge John Pacht ordered Eaton to remain jailed pending sentencing.
Criticism and Opposition
The victims’ families argued that the attack should have been prosecuted as a hate crime, highlighting a gap between community expectations and the charges filed.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The verdict cannot undo what happened or erase the trauma our families still carry, but it affirms something fundamental: Jason Eaton is responsible for what he did,” — Elizabeth Price, comments to reporters.
- “Today’s verdict affirms that our Justice system works best when truth is brought to light and accountability is upheld,” — Prosecutor Sarah George.
What’s Next
Eaton’s sentencing date has not yet been set. The court will determine the length of his imprisonment, and the families continue to seek recognition of the attack as a hate-based offense.