When ATF agents knocked on the apartment door of the suspect accused of shooting three Palestinian college students — two of them U.S. citizens — in Burlington, Vermont, over the weekend, he held out his empty palms at his waist and responded, "I've been waiting for you," authorities said.
But when agents of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives asked him why, Jason James Eaton replied that he wanted a lawyer and advised he had a gun in the apartment, Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad said of the initial interaction on Sunday afternoon.
"There was shakiness and a sense of concern," Murad told reporters on Monday of Eaton's demeanor, "but also something of a lack of affect."
The details of law enforcement's encounter with Eaton, 48, were revealed as he pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempted murder in the second degree and was ordered held without bail at the Northwest State Correctional Facility.
The shooting, coming amid a rise in gun violence in Vermont's largest city and a surge in Islamophobia in the wake of the conflict in Gaza, has prompted calls from civil rights groups for authorities to investigate it as a hate crime.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Eaton would not identify himself to federal agents or say whether any other firearms were in the apartment.
Murad said Eaton appeared nervous when agents came to his apartment complex on Sunday as part of an ongoing canvas of the area. Eaton was detained as a result of his statements and later appeared emotionless upon learning of the attempted murder charges against him, the police chief added.
Meanwhile, Burlington police executed a search warrant, which they said led to the discovery of a Ruger .380 pistol and ammo inside the top dresser of a bedroom. Agents said they confirmed Eaton had purchased the pistol in April.
The weapon was obtained legally through a federally licensed firearms dealer, and there were no flags raised from the purchase, Murad said.
The ammunition recovered from Eaton's apartment — featuring bright red tips on the projectiles — matched the brand of bullets, Hornady, located at the scene of the shooting, according to police.
The three victims — Kinnan Abdalhamid, Tahseen Ali Ahmad and Hisham Awartani, all 20 — told investigators they were walking past a white house Saturday evening near the University of Vermont campus when a white male emerged, pulled out a gun and opened fire.
Abdalhamid, a student at Haverford College in Pennsylvania, and Ali Ahmad, a student at Trinity College in Connecticut, were guests at Awartani's grandmother's house in Burlington for Thanksgiving. Awartani is a student at Brown University in Rhode Island, and the trio — longtime friends who graduated from the same school in the occupied West Bank — had spent the night at a bowling alley for a birthday party before returning to the home and walking around the neighborhood to smoke cigarettes.
Authorities, including the FBI, on Monday said they were continuing to investigate a motive, but added they still did not have enough evidence to support additional hate crime charges. Computer evidence was being reviewed as well.
"Whether or not it was a hate crime by the law, there is no question it was a hateful act," Murad said.
Public defenders representing Eaton declined to speculate on such charges following his arraignment.
Two of the three victims were wearing kaffiyehs, a symbol of Palestinian nationalism, and said they spoke a mix of English and Arabic during their walk, according to investigators.
The friends said they did not know the shooter and didn't recall him saying anything to them. The attack was "unprovoked," Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger told reporters.
Awartani had yelled for help, and a man in the neighborhood came outside and provided blankets as medics were called. Awartani was shot in the spine, Ali Ahmad was struck in the chest and Kinnan in the glute, court documents said; all three victims were being treated in intensive care.
"Hard to imagine this time and everything that's happening that it was just a random act," Radi Tamimi, Abdalhamid's uncle, told reporters Monday. "It doesn't feel that way."
Suspect under scrutiny
Police believe Eaton moved to Burlington in recent months from Syracuse, New York.
Public records show he has family living in Vermont, and those reached by phone declined to comment Monday.
A LinkedIn page appearing to belong to Eaton show a support for "causes," including "children," "civil rights and social action" and "economic empowerment." The most current job listed for him was as a sales assistant for CUSO Financial Services in the Burlington area. A company spokesperson said Eaton had worked there for less than a year and was terminated on Nov. 8.
Eaton, who referred to himself on social media as a "farmer and craftsman," was also recently a registered financial adviser, financial industry regulatory records show, and had a podcast in 2021 on financial services.
"I want to live in a peaceful, just, and free society," he said in the podcast's description. "Together we can build it."
Eaton also worked as a farm assistant at a nonprofit wilderness expedition school in New Hampshire in 2022. The school, Kroka Expeditions, said his primary responsibilities were landscaping and livestock care.
A representative said Eaton did not work directly with students, and no red flags arose from a background check, but the person declined to comment about any possible concerns from staff while he was employed there.
Eaton also volunteered as an assistant scoutmaster in upstate New York with a unit of the Boy Scouts of America as recently as 2021. The organization said he is not currently a member and has been banned from registering in any scouting capacity following his arrest.
On a YouTube account that appears to belong to Eaton, a playlist includes a video titled "Expose Fauci" and recommends using "brain crystals" for "psychic powers." Videos in the playlist cover a variety of topics, such as long Covid, government surveillance and economics. An Instagram account that appeared to belong to him showed photos of farm life, cooking and machinery before it was taken down.
An archived version of an account on X that appeared to belong to Eaton included posts about economics and skepticism of Covid vaccines. That account is locked. On Reddit, an account that appeared to belong to him posted about agriculture, economics and mental health.
Before Saturday's shooting, Eaton did not appear to be known by local law enforcement in Burlington.
Police said Monday they became aware of traffic-related infractions against Eaton over the decades. Vermont state court records appear to show he has six traffic and vehicle-related tickets since 1998, with the most recent in 2016.
