Palestinian Brown University student paralyzed after shooting in Vermont, mother says

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — One of the three Palestinian students who were shot in Burlington, Vermont last weekend is now paralyzed from the chest down, according to his mother.

The mother of 20-year-old Brown University junior, Hisham Awartani, said a bullet became lodged in his spine after the shooting. She said her son is scheduled to be released from the hospital next week.

The alleged gunman, 48-year-old Jason Eaton has been charged with three counts of attempted second-degree murder. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment and is being held without bail.

Uncredited – hogp, ASSOCIATED PRESS

Burlington’s police chief said two of the three students were wearing traditional Palestinian scarves, known as keffiyeh, and were speaking Arabic at the time of the shooting while walking to a relative’s home for the holidays.

From left, Tahseen Ali Ahmad, Kinnan Abdalhamid, and Hisham Awartani. Awartani is a student at Brown University. (The Institute of Middle East Understanding)

Authorities have not determined a motive in the attack but said they are investigating whether or not the shooting was a hate crime.

Brown University held a private vigil for the students on back on November 27.

Following the vigil, a group of students began chanting for Brown to divest from companies that are profiting off the conflict between Israel and Hamas.