Three Palestinian Arab men were shot and injured in Burlington, Vermont, on Saturday in what authorities suspect could be a hate-related crime, The Hill reports.
The Burlington Police Department (BPD) said in a press release on Sunday that two of the three victims are in stable condition while the third sustained “much more serious injuries.”
The three men, who are each 20 years old and of Palestinian Arab descent, were visiting the home of one victim’s relatives in Burlington for the Thanksgiving weekend and were walking along a street when they were confronted by a white man with a handgun.
Police said the man discharged at least four rounds without saying anything and fled on foot. Two of the victims were shot in their torso and one was shot in the lower extremities, police said.
Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad suggested the incident could be a hate-related crime.
“My deepest condolences go out to the victims and their families,” Murad said in a statement quoted by The Hill. “In this charged moment, no one can look at this incident and not suspect that it may have been a hate-motivated crime. And I have already been in touch with federal investigatory and prosecutorial partners to prepare for that if it’s proven.”
Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger also vowed to hold the shooter accountable in a statement.
“Violence of any kind against any person in our community is totally unacceptable and we will do everything in our power to find the perpetrator and hold them fully accountable,” Weinberger said in a statement. “That there is an indication this shooting could have been motivated by hate is chilling, and this possibility is being prioritized in the BPD’s investigation. The City of Burlington has zero tolerance for hate crimes and will work relentlessly to bring the shooter to justice.”
US President Joe Biden has been briefed on the incident and will continue to receive updates about the situation. The Albany FBI office said in a statement that it was aware of the incident.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) condemned the incident, saying, “It is shocking and deeply upsetting that three young Palestinians were shot here in Burlington, VT. Hate has no place here, or anywhere. I look forward to a full investigation. My thoughts are with them and their families.”
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced that the organization will be offering a $10,000 reward for information that would lead to the arrest of the shooter.
The shooting comes amid tensions over the Israel-Hamas war. In mid-October, police charged a 71-year-old suburban Chicago man with a hate crime for fatally stabbing a six-year-old Muslim boy and seriously wounding a 32-year-old woman.
Police said the man singled out both victims because of their Islamic faith and as a response to the war between Israel and Hamas.
The war has also resulted in a spike in incidents of antisemitism in the US.