Three college students of Palestinian descent were injured in a shooting incident in Burlington, Vermont, on Saturday. The victims have been identified as Hisham Awartani, Tahseen Ahmed, and Kinnan Abdalhamid. According to the head of the Palestinian mission to the UK, Husam Zomlot, the three students were on their way to a family dinner when the incident occurred.
Awartani, Ahmed, and Abdalhamid were undergraduate students at Brown, Haverford, and Trinity Colleges, respectively. Zomlot expressed his concern on Twitter, stating that the three young men were shot for wearing the Palestinian keffiyeh and that they are critically injured. He also mentioned a hate crime against a 6-year-old Palestinian child in Illinois six weeks ago, emphasizing the need for protection for Palestinians worldwide. Zomlot tagged US President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken in his tweet.
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Authorities have not yet confirmed the motive behind the shooting or if it is related to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in the Middle East. However, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee believes that the victims were targeted because they were Arab. The organization stated that the victims were wearing a kuffiyeh and speaking Arabic when a man shouted and harassed them.
The shooting took place near the University of Vermont campus just before 6:30 PM local time on Saturday, according to a report by Seven Days Vermont. The victims were promptly taken for treatment, and their current conditions are unknown. The identity of the suspect has not been disclosed by authorities.
This incident raises concerns about hate crimes and discrimination against Palestinians. It highlights the importance of promoting understanding and tolerance among diverse communities. As investigations continue, it is hoped that the authorities will swiftly bring the perpetrator to justice and ensure the safety of all individuals, regardless of their background or ethnicity.
