(Cupventi.com) – Three students with Palestinian roots got shot at a Thanksgiving gathering near the University of Vermont. The police are searching for the person who did it. The police chief, Jon Murad, said the shooting happened on Saturday evening. Two of the guys are doing okay, but one is seriously hurt.
The police chief explained, “The person shot without saying anything, fired four times, and then ran away. All three guys got hit – two in their bodies and one in their legs.” The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) named the three guys: Hisham Awartani, Kinnan Abdalhamid, and Tahseen Ahmed. Two are Americans, and one is a legal resident.
The three friends were walking at a relative’s home when a white guy with a gun confronted them, according to the police. Two of them were wearing black-and-white Palestinian scarves at the time.
The police chief said they don’t know why the guy did it, but he mentioned the tense situation because of the Israel-Hamas conflict. Murad expressed his sympathy, saying, “This might be a hate crime, but we’re still figuring things out. I’ve talked to federal partners in case it is.”
The ADC said a guy harassed the friends for speaking Arabic and then shot them. The FBI knows about the shooting and will investigate if it involves federal issues.
President Joe Biden was informed, and the White House is keeping up with the investigation. The Council on American-Islamic Relations is offering a $10,000 reward for info on the shooter. Senator Bernie Sanders called it shocking and hopes for a full investigation.
Burlington’s mayor is supporting the victims’ family and the Muslim community. The University of Vermont is sad about the shooting and asks people to get accurate info. Governor Phil Scott called it a tragedy and hopes for a quick recovery.
Demonstrations are happening, and tensions are rising in the U.S. due to the Israel-Hamas conflict. There’s a fragile truce, and more hostages were released on Sunday as part of a four-day deal.