Man Accused of Shooting 3 Men of Palestinian Descent Near University of Vermont Enters Not Guilty Plea

A man pleaded not guilty to attempted murder Monday in connection with the weekend shooting of three college students of Palestinian descent in Vermont—an attack that is being investigated as a possible hate crime.

Jason J. Eaton, 48, was arrested Sunday, a day after the shooting outside his apartment building near the University of Vermont campus. He appeared in court by video from jail, speaking only to confirm his identity. His attorney entered pleas of not guilty on his behalf, and a judge ordered him held without bail pending a hearing that likely will be held in the next few days.

Attorney General Merrick Garland said the Justice Department is investigating whether the shooting was a hate crime. The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are assisting Vermont authorities in the investigation.

The three men, all age 20, who were spending their Thanksgiving break in Burlington, were walking during a visit to the home of one of the victims’ relatives when they were confronted by a man with a handgun, police said.

“Without speaking, he discharged at least four rounds from the pistol and is believed to have fled,” Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad said. “All three victims were struck, two in their torsos and one in the lower extremities.”

Two of the men were in stable condition and the other suffered “much more serious injuries,” Mr. Murad said in a statement Sunday.

Two of the victims are U.S. citizens and the third is in the country with legal permission. Two of the men were wearing the black-and-white Palestinian keffiyeh scarves, Mr. Murad said.

According to a police affidavit, federal agents found a shotgun in Mr. Eaton’s apartment. He refused to identify himself but told the officers he had been waiting for them.

The Institute for Middle East Understanding, in a statement from victims’ families on X, formerly known as Twitter, identified the men as Hisham Awartani, Kinnan Abdalhamid, and Tahseen Ali Ahmad.

The three men had been staying at Mr. Awartani’s grandmother’s house for Thanksgiving, Mr. Awartani told police. They had gone bowling earlier Saturday and were returning when a man walked up to them, pulled out a gun and started shooting, he said.

A second victim told police he saw a man staring at them from the porch of a white house. Mr. Abdalhamid told police that the man stumbled down the stairs and pulled out a pistol.

Rich Price, Mr. Awartani’s uncle, said the gunman “shot them without saying any words” and all three are now in the ICU.

Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger is expected to join Mr. Murad at a press conference Monday to discuss the investigation. Mr. Murad, who expressed sympathies for the victims and their families, said there is no additional information to suggest a motive.

“In this charged moment, no one can look at this incident and not suspect that it may have been a hate-motivated crime. And I have already been in touch with federal investigatory and prosecutorial partners to prepare for that if it’s proven,” he said.

“The fact is that we don’t yet know as much as we want to right now,” Mr. Murad added. “But I urge the public to avoid making conclusions based on statements from uninvolved parties who know even less.”

The White House said President Joe Biden was briefed on the shooting and would continue to receive law enforcement updates.

Ramallah Friends School posted a statement on Facebook saying the three young men were graduates of the private school, in the West Bank.

“While we are relieved to know that they are alive, we remain uncertain about their condition and hold them in the light,” the school said. “We stand united in hope and support for their well-being during this challenging time.”

Last month, an Illinois landlord was charged with a hate crime after being accused of fatally stabbing a 6-year-old Muslim boy and seriously wounding his mother in suburban Chicago.