Media reports indicate that three young Palestinian men were shot in close proximity to a university campus in Vermont, United States. The incident reportedly occurred on Saturday evening near the University of Vermont’s campus in Burlington.
The individuals involved were identified as Hisham Awartani, Kinnan Abdel Hamid, and Tahseen Ahmed, all of whom are enrolled at different universities in the U.S. According to the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), two of the victims are currently in intensive care, while one was expected to be released on Sunday.
The Ramallah Friends School in the occupied West Bank, where the three individuals studied, expressed deep distress over the incident in a statement on Facebook. The school mentioned, “While we are relieved to know they are alive, we remain uncertain about their condition. We extend our thoughts and prayers to them and their families for a full recovery, especially considering the severity of the injuries – as Hisham has been shot in the back, Tahseen in the chest, and Kinnan with minor injuries.”
The motive behind the attack remains unknown, and the Burlington police, when contacted by Al Jazeera, did not immediately respond to requests for further information.
According to the information provided by the ADC, the victims were wearing a keffiyeh and speaking Arabic. The group stated, “A man shouted and harassed the victims, then proceeded to shoot them.” The incident has raised concerns, and investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding this distressing event.
