Investigation underway into shooting of three college students of Palestinian descent in Vermont, possible hate crime suspected

Vermont authorities are investigating a potential hate crime after three Palestinian college students were shot and wounded while walking in Burlington. The shooting occurred around 6:25 p.m. on Saturday near the University of Vermont campus. The victims, all 20 years old, were in town to celebrate Thanksgiving with a relative. The shooter, described as a white man, approached the students and fired at least four rounds from a handgun without speaking. Two of the victims sustained torso injuries, while the third was wounded in the lower extremities. Police are still searching for the shooter, and the victims remain hospitalized in stable condition. Although there was no clear motive, given the current tensions in the Middle East, authorities are considering the possibility of a hate-motivated crime. The Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee stated that the victims were speaking Arabic before the attack, and the Council on American-Islamic Relations is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest or conviction. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders has also called for a hate crime investigation, emphasizing that “hate has no place here, or anywhere.”