Attorney General Merrick Garland on Monday spoke out about the recent shooting of three college students of Palestinian descent, warning the Department of Justice is monitoring "extremist" activity at home and abroad.
The incident took place on Saturday evening in Burlington, Vermont, where police identified 48-year-old Jason J. Eaton as the suspect in a shooting that injured three students near the University of Vermont campus. By midday on Sunday, police detained the suspect and searched his apartment, which was near where the shooting took place, officially arresting him later that evening.
Eaton now faces three counts of aggravated assault and was arraigned in court on Monday, where he pleaded not guilty. The three victims, Hisham Awartani, Kinnan Abdalhamid, and Tahseen Ali Ahmad, are students at Brown University, Haverford College, and Trinity College, respectively, and were in Burlington for a Thanksgiving visit.
Two are reported to be in stable condition after the shooting, while one was said to be more seriously wounded. Eaton, according to local officials, allegedly opened fire on the students while they were walking to another residence for dinner.
At a press conference Monday, Garland confirmed that the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) are carrying out an investigation into the situation, noting that the process is ongoing and has not yet been officially determined to be a hate crime.
When reached for comment, the DOJ directed Newsweek to a press conference held by Nikolas Kerest, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Vermont, later in the day on Monday. During the conference, Kerest stated that a determination has yet to be made about whether or not Eaton's action constituted a hate crime, with evidence still being examined.
Garland also stressed that U.S. officials are actively monitoring extremist activity, domestically and abroad, amid the surging threats to Jewish and Arab communities as the Israel-Hamas conflict continues.
"As always, but especially now, the Justice Department is remaining vigilant in the face of the potential threats of hate-fueled violence and terrorism," Garland said. "We are closely monitoring the impact that the conflict in the Middle East may have in inspiring foreign terrorist organizations, home-grown violent extremists, and domestic violent extremists, both here in the United States and abroad."
He continued: "All of us have also seen a sharp increase in the volume and frequency of threats against Jewish, Muslim, and Arab communities across our country since October 7. There is understandable fear in communities across the country. As we speak, the ATF and the FBI are investigating the tragic shooting of three men of Palestinian descent in Vermont. That investigation, including whether this is a hate crime, is ongoing."
Garland pledged that further law enforcement updates on the situation in Vermont will be "coming soon."
Updated 11/27/23, 5:32 p.m. ET: This article has been updated to reflect a response from the DOJ.
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Thomas Kika is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in upstate New York. His focus is reporting on crime and national ... Read more
