Man guilty of attempted murder for shooting three men of Palestinian descent in Vermont

September 21, 2026

Jason Eaton, a 51-year-old Vermont man, has been found guilty of attempted murder for shooting three Palestinian-American college students in November 2023. The jury rejected his insanity defense, which claimed he experienced psychosis and believed intelligence agencies ordered him to commit the attack through radio broadcasts. The shooting occurred during the Israel-Gaza conflict amid rising hate crimes, leaving one victim permanently paralyzed and two others injured.

Who is affected

Hisham Awartani (now 23, Brown University student, paralyzed from the waist down)
Tahseen Aliahmad (now 23, Trinity College student, wounded)
Kinnan Abdalhamid (now 23, Haverford College student, wounded)
Jason Eaton (51-year-old defendant convicted of attempted murder)
The families and communities of the victims
Awartani's grandmother (whom the students were visiting)

What action is being taken

Jason Eaton awaits sentencing following his conviction
The three victims attended the week-long trial (with Awartani attending in a wheelchair)

Why it matters

This case represents a significant hate crime that occurred during a period of heightened Islamophobia and antisemitism following the start of the Israel-Gaza war. The conviction demonstrates accountability for violence targeting individuals based on their ethnic and religious identity, even when insanity defenses are presented. The permanent paralysis of one victim and the trauma experienced by all three students highlight the severe, life-altering consequences of hate-motivated violence in America.

What's next

Jason Eaton faces sentencing, where he could receive life in prison

Read full article from source: BBC