(WASHINGTON, DC – 11/27/2023) — The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, welcomed law enforcement’s arrest of a suspect in the shooting of three Palestinian university students in Burlington, Vermont.
Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad said Jason J. Eaton, 48, was detained Sunday afternoon after ATF agents encountered him while conducting a canvass at the location of the shooting. The shooting, which occurred on Saturday, targeted three Palestinian university students who were on their way to a family dinner.
CAIR has offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator(s).
SEE: Burlington VT shooting arrest made
In a statement, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said:
“We welcome the arrest of a suspect in this shooting, and we encourage law enforcement to file state and federal hate crime charges if the evidence confirms that anti-Palestinian racism motivated this attack. We also call on elected officials to reject and condemn the rise in anti-Muslim bigotry and anti-Palestinian racism that has led to hate crimes, discrimination, and censorship targeting everyone from students to workers to protestors who dare to speak up for Palestinian human rights.”
As part of its ongoing efforts to address rising hate and violence, CAIR emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach to combating Islamophobia and discrimination. The civil rights organization recently welcomed arrests in two alleged anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian hate crimes in New York.
Awad also cited the murder of a 6-year-old Palestinian-American boy and the wounding of his mother who were “targeted by the suspect due to them being Muslim and the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict involving Hamas and the Israelis.”
These incidents come as Muslims, Arabs, and Palestinians across the country report a surge in anti-Muslim and anti-Arab hate since the escalation of violence in Palestine and Israel last month. Earlier this month, CAIR released new data indicating a 216 percent surge in complaints, including reported incidents of bias, reported to its offices since the start of the crisis on October 7th.
Washington, D.C., based CAIR is encouraging those experiencing similar acts of aggression, racism, and Islamophobia to call their local CAIR offices and report these incidents immediately.
SEE ALSO: CAIR’s Report an Incident Form
[NOTE: More than 100,000 Americans have used CAIR’s action alert to contact their members of Congress and call for an end to the violence and the renewal of U.S.-led efforts to end the occupation. SEE: Urge Your Members of Congress to Address Root Cause of Mideast Violence]
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com