Investigating the shooting of three Palestinian students as a possible hate crime

In what authorities described as a “hate-motivated crime,” three university students of Palestinian heritage were wounded in a gunshot on Saturday in the US northern city of Burlington, Vermont.

Police characterized the gunman—who is still at large—as “a white man with a handgun.”

He fired at least four shots from the handgun without saying anything, according to the police, and is thought to have run away on foot.

The event took place in the midst of intense emotions over the Israel-Hamas conflict that sometimes resulted in violence on college campuses and other parts of the United States.

According to a police statement, the third victim had “much more serious injuries,” while the other two were in stable condition. Of them, one is a lawful resident and the other two are US citizens.

Although the reason of the shooter has not been officially established, the police have verified that two of the young guys were wearing the characteristic black and white Palestinian scarf, known as a keffiyeh.

Furthermore, in a statement, Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad said that “no one can look at this incident and not suspect that it may have been a hate-motivated crime in this charged moment.”

“Our next priority is identifying, locating, and apprehending the suspect now that the victims are safe and receiving medical care,” he said.

All three of them graduated from the Ramallah Friends School, a private Quaker school in the West Bank, according to a statement from a representative for the victims’ families. They are now enrolled at various institutions in the northeastern US.

“As guardians, we are appalled by the horrifying information that our kids were singled out and shot. We demand that law enforcement look into this matter thoroughly. We won’t feel at ease until the gunman is apprehended and prosecuted.

According to the Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee, “We have reason to believe that the victims of this shooting are Arab.” It demanded that the Vermont police look into the shooting as a possible hate crime.

President Joe Biden was informed on the incident, according to the White House.

The independent senator from Vermont and former presidential contender Bernie Sanders described the incident as “shocking and deeply upsetting,” adding that “hatred has no place here, or anywhere.”

The shooting occurred amid warnings from civil rights organizations about an increase in hate crimes targeting Arab and Muslim Americans.

A six-year-old kid of Palestinian-American descent was fatally stabbed in Illinois last month, leaving his mother injured. A 71-year-old individual has entered a not guilty plea.