Jason Eaton convicted of attempted murder in Vermont student shooting

A Vermont jury has convicted 51-year-old Jason Eaton of three counts of attempted murder for the November 2023 shooting of three Palestinian college students in Burlington. The victims, Hisham Awartani, Tahseen Aliahmad, and Kinnan Abdalhamid, were walking near the University of Vermont campus during a Thanksgiving holiday when Eaton approached and opened fire. The attack left Awartani paralyzed from the waist down, while his friends sustained other injuries.

During the weeklong trial, the jury rejected Eaton’s insanity defense. His legal team argued that he was suffering from a delusional psychotic disorder, claiming he believed the CIA and Mossad were transmitting orders to him via FM radio and Bluetooth. Eaton also testified that he believed God had commanded him to protect his Jewish neighbors. Prosecutors countered this by presenting forensic evidence and expert testimony suggesting Eaton intended to commit the crime.

Eaton faces up to life in prison. The families of the victims expressed relief at the verdict, stating that while it cannot erase the trauma, it affirms that Eaton is responsible for his actions. The incident, which occurred shortly after the start of the Israel-Hamas war, drew significant attention to the rise of anti-Palestinian sentiment and violence in the United States.