(DailyVantage.com) – Jason Eaton, the man accused of shooting three Palestinian students in Burlington, Vermont, pleaded not guilty during his arraignment hearing on Monday. According to authorities, Eaton shot multiple Palestinian-American students and now faces several charges of attempted murder. The judge overseeing Eaton’s case, Judge Gregory Rainville, decided to keep Eaton detained without bail until his next unscheduled court appearance.
The shooting occurred in Burlington, Vermont, as the three students were walking on the street. According to authorities, Eaton approached the victims and began shooting at them with a handgun. The total number of shots fired at the Palestinian-American students is unknown, but police claim Eaton shot at them at least four times. Each of the victims is 20 years old and has Palestinian ancestry.
The three victims were staying at one of the student’s grandmother’s houses for the Thanksgiving holiday and had just finished bowling moments before the shooting occurred. According to one of the victims, he saw Eaton staring at the group before the altercation. Eaton then allegedly stumbled towards the three victims with a handgun and began shooting at them.
The shooting hasn’t resulted in any fatalities yet, but one of the three victims is currently in critical condition in the hospital. The other two victims are in stable condition and are expected to recover from the shooting. According to authorities, Eaton shot two victims in the torso and the third victim in the “lower extremities.” Details about the exact injuries sustained by the victims are uncertain.
After the shooting, agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives began investigating the area. The agents found a shotgun in Eaton’s residence, which is near the site of the shooting. Federal authorities began collecting evidence from Eaton’s apartment and are currently investigating a potential motive for the shooting.
According to Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad, the shotgun found by the federal agents is a legal firearm and isn’t the one used in the shooting. Murad also claims that a motive is currently unknown, but some authorities believe it was a hate crime against the victims. Murad claims that two of the victims wore keffiyehs during the shooting, potentially inspiring the shooting.
According to the state’s attorney for Chittenden County, Sarah George, officials have no evidence of a potential hate crime. But despite the lack of evidence, George claims there is “no question” that the shooting is a hate crime.
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