Archive · 22 Sep 2026
Vermont Man Convicted in Shooting of Three Palestinian Students
A jury found Jason Eaton guilty of trying to murder three Palestinian American students in Vermont.
The students were shot in Burlington on November 25, 2023.
They were wearing Palestinian scarves and talking in English and Arabic when Eaton confronted them.
Hisham Awartani was seriously injured and became paralyzed.
Tahseen Aliahmad and Kinnan Abdalhamid were also shot but survived.
Eaton admitted that he was the shooter but said he was legally insane.
His lawyers said he believed intelligence agencies and God had told him to act.
The jury rejected that defense.
Eaton will be sentenced later and could receive life without parole.
Jason Eaton was convicted of three counts of attempted second-degree murder in the November 25, 2023, Burlington shootings.
The victims were Palestinian American students Hisham Awartani, Tahseen Aliahmad and Kinnan Abdalhamid.
Awartani was paralyzed, while Aliahmad and Abdalhamid suffered gunshot wounds.
Eaton did not dispute being the shooter but argued he should be found not guilty by reason of insanity.
He faces up to life without parole, with a presumptive minimum of 20 years on each count; sentencing will occur later.
- Who
- Jason Eaton was convicted in the shootings of Palestinian American students Hisham Awartani, Tahseen Aliahmad and Kinnan Abdalhamid.
- What
- A jury found Eaton guilty of three counts of attempted second-degree murder.
- When
- The shootings occurred on November 25, 2023; the trial ended Monday and the conviction was reported on September 21.
- Where
- The shootings took place in Burlington, Vermont, and the trial was held in Chittenden Superior Court.
- Why
- Prosecutors said Eaton confronted the students while they wore Palestinian keffiyeh scarves and spoke English and Arabic; his defense argued insanity.
Prosecution
Defense
Criminal responsibility
Prosecution
Prosecutors sought convictions for three attempted murders and said Eaton approached and shot the students.
Defense
Eaton’s legal team argued he should not be found guilty because he was insane.
Eaton’s explanation
Prosecution
The prosecution relied on the shooting and the resulting injuries, including Awartani’s paralysis.
Defense
Eaton claimed that United States and Israeli intelligence ordered him to carry out the shooting and that God told him to protect Jewish neighbors.
- Defendant
- Jason Eaton
- Charges
- Three counts of attempted second-degree murder
- Victims
- Hisham Awartani, Tahseen Aliahmad and Kinnan Abdalhamid
- Shooting date
- November 25, 2023
- Location
- Burlington, Vermont
- Trial outcome
- The jury rejected Eaton’s insanity defense and found him guilty
- Potential sentence
- Up to life without parole, with a presumptive minimum of 20 years on each count
- Sentencing
- To take place at a later time