Palestinian American Student Paralyzed in Vermont Shooting, Aims to Start College on Time
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One of the three Palestinian American students shot in Burlington, Vermont last week is paralyzed, but is still hoping to start his upcoming college semester “on time,” his family announced in a fundraising statement.
Hisham Awartani’s family said he is paralyzed from the chest down after he and his two friends, Kinnan Abdalhamid and Ali Ahmad, were shot while walking in Burlington late last month. The three men, all 20 years old and of Palestinian descent, were in Burlington to visit one of the victim’s families for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Two of the men wore keffiyehs when the shooting occurred, Burlington police said last month.
“We are thankful that all three will survive this attack, and Hisham’s friends are expected to make a full recovery,” Awartani’s family wrote in a GoFund Me post. “For Hisham, however, one of the bullets that struck him is lodged in his spine and has left him paralyzed from the chest down.”
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The fundraiser for Awartani raised over $950,000 as of Monday through an estimated 13,600 separate donations. His family said the money will go towards the costs related to his recovery, including for rehabilitation, adaptive living needs and travel.
Awartani told his college professors he is determined to start the next semester “on time,” his family said. Awartani attends Brown University where he is pursuing a dual degree in math and archaeology.
“He’ll [Awartani] change the world though his sprint, his mind and his compassion for those much more vulnerable than himself, especially the thousands of dead in Gaza and many more struggling to survive the devastating humanitarian crisis unfolding there,” Awartani’s family wrote in a statement.
Abdalhamid, one of the other victims, was released last week from the hospital. It was not immediately clear if Ahmad, the third victim, has been released. Abdalhamid and Ahmad are students at Haverford College in Pennsylvania and Trinity College respectively.
Jason Eaton, who was arrested a day after the shooting, pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempted second-degree murder on Monday. The 48-year-old was held without bail ahead of his next court appearance.
Attorney General Merrick Garland said last week the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, along with the FBI, are investigating the shooting as a possible hate crime.
In an interview with The New York Times last week, Abdalhamid said the incident is “very hard to grapple with,” and made him question his sense of security and safety in America.
“In the West Bank, we’re not safe because of the occupation, and as a Palestinian American, I’m not safe in America because of people like this that might come out,” Abdalhamid told The Times.
The shooting further fueled fears on U.S. campuses, which have seen tensions increase amidst Israel’s war with Hamas, which began in October after the militant group’s Oct. 7 attack that left 1,200 people dead in Israel. More than 15,800 people have been killed in Gaza since Oct. 7, according to the Hamas-ruled Health Ministry in Gaza.
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Title: Palestinian American Student Paralyzed in Vermont Shooting Aims to Begin College Semester on Time
Date: [Date]
Burlington, Vermont – Last week, one of the three Palestinian American students who were shot in Burlington, Vermont, was announced to be paralyzed from the chest down. However, despite the life-altering injury, Hisham Awartani remains determined to start his upcoming college semester “on time,” according to his family.
Hisham Awartani, along with his friends Kinnan Abdalhamid and Ali Ahmad, were shot while walking in Burlington late last month. The three young men, all 20 years old and of Palestinian descent, were visiting one of the victim’s families for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Burlington police revealed that two of the men were wearing keffiyehs, a traditional Arab headdress, during the shooting incident.
While Kinnan Abdalhamid and Ali Ahmad are expected to make a full recovery, Hisham Awartani’s family shared in a GoFundMe post that he was left paralyzed from the chest down due to a bullet lodged in his spine. The fundraising campaign has garnered over $950,000 through approximately 13,600 separate donations. These funds will contribute to Awartani’s recovery expenses, including rehabilitation, adaptive living needs, and travel.
Despite his life-altering injury, Awartani has expressed his determination to begin the next semester on time. He is currently pursuing a dual degree in math and archaeology at Brown University.
Awartani’s family stated, “He’ll change the world through his spirit, intellect, and compassion for those much more vulnerable than himself, especially the thousands of dead in Gaza and many more struggling to survive the devastating humanitarian crisis unfolding there.”
Kinnan Abdalhamid was released from the hospital last week, while Ali Ahmad’s current status remains unclear. Abdalhamid is a student at Haverford College in Pennsylvania, while Ahmad attends Trinity College.
Jason Eaton, the 48-year-old suspect arrested a day after the shooting, pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempted second-degree murder on Monday. He is currently held without bail pending his next court appearance.
Attorney General Merrick Garland has announced that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, along with the FBI, are investigating the shooting as a possible hate crime.
The incident has reignited concerns on U.S. campuses amidst heightened tensions due to Israel’s war with Hamas. Kinnan Abdalhamid expressed his struggle with the incident, stating, “In the West Bank, we’re not safe because of the occupation, and as a Palestinian American, I’m not safe in America because of people like this that might come out.”
The shooting serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing violence and humanitarian crisis in the region. Since the beginning of the conflict, more than 15,800 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-ruled Health Ministry.
As the investigation unfolds, the community rallies behind Hisham Awartani, offering support and resources to aid in his recovery and pursuit of his academic goals..
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