Man convicted of attempted murder in Vermont shooting of three Palestinian students

A jury in Chittenden Superior Court 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 in Burlington, Vermont. The verdict, delivered on September 21 after a week‑long trial, rejected Eaton’s claim of not guilty by reason of insanity.

The three victims – Hisham Awartani, Tahseen Aliahmad and Kinnan Abdalhamid – were all 20 years old and had grown up in the Israeli‑occupied West Bank. They were walking near the University of Vermont campus when Eaton approached and opened fire. Awartani was hit in the chest and is now paralysed from the waist down, while Aliahmad sustained a chest wound and Abdalhamid was struck in the glute while fleeing. The three men were visiting Awartani’s grandmother over a Thanksgiving break from school at the time of the attack.

During the trial, prosecutors presented testimony from the victims and psychiatric experts, while the defence argued that Eaton suffered from a delusional psychotic disorder. According to the defence, Eaton believed intelligence agencies such as the CIA and Israel’s Mossad were sending him messages through FM radio and that he was tasked with “overwatch duty” to protect a Jewish family. The jury deliberated for several hours before reaching its verdict.

Eaton was ordered to remain in custody pending sentencing. Under Vermont law, each count carries a potential sentence of life imprisonment without parole, with a presumptive minimum term of 20 years to be served on each count. The sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.

When the verdict was read, Awartani and Aliahmad, who were seated in the front row of the courtroom, smiled and embraced members of the audience. Their presence underscored the personal impact of the attack on the community.

The conviction marks the conclusion of the criminal case, while civil actions or further legal proceedings related to the shooting have not been reported.