Vermont authorities are investigating a possible hate crime after three 20-year-old college students of Palestinian descent were shot and wounded while walking along a street in Burlington. The young men were shot by a white man who ran up to them and fired a handgun as they walked near the University of Vermont campus on Saturday night. The three victims were all hospitalized, with two in stable condition and one suffering more serious injuries.
Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad stated that the shooter discharged at least four rounds from the pistol and fled without speaking. Two of the victims were wearing keffiyeh scarves, which are traditional to the Middle East. While there was no overt indication of a motive, given the current tensions in the Middle East, there was a potential that the incident may have been a hate-motivated crime.
The Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) stated that the men had been speaking Arabic before being accosted by the gunman, who first shouted and harassed them. The Council on American-Islamic Relations is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest or conviction, and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders has called for a hate-crime investigation, stating that “hate has no place here, or anywhere.”
Police are still seeking the shooter, and Murad has urged the public to avoid making conclusions based on statements from uninvolved parties who know less about the incident than the authorities. The chief has also been in touch with federal investigatory and prosecutorial partners to prepare for a hate-crime investigation if it is proven.
The incident has sparked outrage and calls for a full investigation, with Muslim advocates and the victims’ families asserting that the link between the incident and hate is clear. Despite the current lack of concrete information, authorities and advocates are emphasizing the seriousness of the incident and the need for a thorough investigation.
Source
Photo credit www.nydailynews.com
