The parents of one of the three Palestinian students shot in Vermont over the weekend has said that their son was “afraid” to leave the hospital after being discharged and remains “shaken” from the incident.
Kinnan Abdelhamid, along with his friends Hisham Awartani and Tahseen Ahmed, all 20 years old, were shot over the weekend after leaving an 8-year-old’s birthday party, family told The Daily Beast earlier this week. All three, who were wearing Keffiyeh headdresses and speaking Arabic at the time of the shooting, studied at different U.S. colleges. All three are of Palestinian descent.
All three were hit, two in their torsos and one in the lower extremities.
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Abdelhamid was released from the hospital Monday, his family said, while Awartani, suffering an “incomplete spinal injury,” may not be able to move his legs for the rest of his life, his family told CNN earlier. Ahmed also remains in a local hospital.
“We are extremely relieved that Kinnan has been released from the hospital,” his parents said in a statement provided by the Institute for Middle East Understanding (IMEU). The Daily Beast has reached out to the IMEU for further comment.
“Right now, he is still in pain and recovering. Our priority is his well-being.”
The three young men were walking on the street when they were confronted by a white male with a handgun, Burlington police said.
The suspect, identified later as 48-year-old Jason J. Eaton, allegedly discharged at least four rounds from a pistol outside of his apartment, without saying a word.
Eaton was arrested Sunday and charged with three counts of attempted murder. He has pleaded not guilty.
His mother told The Daily Beast earlier this week that he had suffered from depression in the past and just days earlier ate Thanksgiving dinner with his family.
“Jason has had a lot of struggles in his life but he is such a kind and loving person,” Mary Reed, his mother, said on Monday. “I am just shocked by the whole thing.”
Police have not said mental health was a factor in the shooting and have not determined whether it was a hate crime, but are looking into whether either was a motivation. “At this time, there is no additional information to suggest the suspect’s motive, such as statements or remarks by the suspect,” police said on Sunday.
However in a separate statement to the IMEU, the families of the three children said, “We have no doubt that our sons were targeted simply for being Palestinian.”
“We are relieved that Jason Eaton, the man who viciously attacked our sons in a hate-driven shooting, has been arrested and charged, and that a hate crime investigation is underway,” the statement read.
They proceeded to state that they do not consider mental health problems to be a suitable explanation for the heinous crime for which Eaton has been accused.
“There are some reports centered on the defendant's mental health. We want to make clear, in no uncertain terms: Millions of people in America and across the globe struggle with mental health challenges. That does not make them pick up a gun and attack people based on their identity.”
The family added: “We do not accept what this wrongfully implies about people who struggle with their mental health, nor do we accept it as justification or context for this heinous, hate-driven crime.”
“Jason Eaton committed an act of horrific violence against our children. One of our kids may never walk again, and they will all live with this trauma for the rest of their lives. Our families are devastated, and our lives forever changed by this hateful attack.”
For Abdelhamid, while he has been released from hospital, his family says the scars remain.
“Kinnan told us that he was afraid to leave the hospital. Our child may be physically well enough to be out of the hospital, but he is still shaken from this horrific attack. We know that this tragedy will shape the rest of our lives.
“While this has been a devastating time for our family, we are extremely proud of our son. In the face of hate, he has exhibited courage and strength. No child should have to endure this pain. As parents, our primary focus is our son's health, safety, and future.
Abdelhamid “continues to be concerned for the well-being of his dear friends, who remain in the hospital and are receiving critical care,” the statement concluded.
