Full Breakdown
Jury Convicts Vermont Man of Attempted Murder in 2023 Shooting of Palestinian Students
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The Verdict and the Crime
On September 21, 2026, a Chittenden County jury found Jason Eaton, 51, guilty on three counts of attempted second-degree murder for the November 25, 2023 shooting of three Palestinian-American college students near the University of Vermont campus in Burlington. Eaton did not dispute firing the weapon; his insanity defense—claiming delusional commands from the CIA, Mossad, or God—was rejected. He remains in jail pending sentencing.
Legal Context and Trial Background
The trial focused on whether Eaton’s mental state met Vermont’s insanity threshold. Defense attorneys Margaret Jansch and Joshua O’Hara presented forensic psychiatrist Dr. Fabian Saleh’s testimony that Eaton suffered a psychotic disorder. The prosecution’s expert, Dr. Jhilam Biswas, argued Eaton had no diagnosed psychosis, citing narcissistic traits, recent job loss, and substance use. Testimony included the victims, firearms experts linking a Ruger .380 handgun to the crime, and recordings of Eaton describing alleged radio messages five days after the shooting.
Victims and Injuries
- Hisham Awartani – shot in the chest; bullet ricochet caused paraplegia.
- Tahseen Aliahmad – shot in the collarbone/chest.
- Kinnan Abdalhamid – shot in the right buttock.
All were 20, longtime friends from Ramallah, walking on North Prospect Street after a Thanksgiving visit to Awartani’s grandmother when Eaton opened fire from about five to ten feet away.
Official Statements & Responses
“They truly gave this case the attention that it deserved, and I'm incredibly grateful for the closure that they have now provided.” — Sarah George, county state’s attorney. Judge John Patch ordered Eaton to remain in custody pending sentencing.
Criticism & Opposition
Victims’ families, represented by mother Elizabeth Price, argued the lack of a hate-crime charge obscured motive. Price said, “We do not need a jury to tell us why our sons were targeted,” and criticized the court’s decision to require some gallery members to remove keffiyehs.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Hate-crime charge: Law enforcement considered it but filed none, citing insufficient evidence of bias.
- Sentencing date: Not set; each count carries a potential life-without-parole term with a presumptive minimum of 20 years.
- Mental-health diagnosis: Defense claims a psychotic break; prosecution asserts no formal diagnosis, creating a factual dispute over Eaton’s state at the time of the shooting.