Three Palestinian American college students were shot in an attack in Burlington, Vt., over the weekend, raising questions about their safety and highlighting concerns about hate crimes in the United States. Kinnan Abdalhamid, 20, one of the victims, expressed his dismay and unease in an interview with The New York Times, stating that the incident made him question his safety in America.

Abdalhamid, a student at Haverford College in Pennsylvania, was walking with his friends, Hisham Awartani and Tahseen Ali Ahmad, in Burlington last Saturday when a man approached them and fired at least four rounds from a handgun, according to the Burlington Police Department.

Awartani and Ali Ahmad are still receiving treatment in the hospital, while Abdalhamid was discharged a day after the incident. Awartani's mother, Elizabeth Price, revealed earlier this week that her son suffered an incomplete spinal injury and may never walk again due to a bullet lodged in his spine.

The attack has led Abdalhamid to question the safety of Palestinian Americans in the United States. In the West Bank, Palestinians face ongoing safety concerns due to the occupation, but the incident in Burlington has made Abdalhamid realize that even as a Palestinian American, he feels unsafe in America due to individuals who harbor hatred towards his community, as told to The New York Times.

The three victims, all 20 years old and of Palestinian descent, were visiting relatives in Burlington for the Thanksgiving holiday. They were on their way back from bowling when the shooting occurred. Two of them were wearing keffiyehs, a traditional Palestinian scarf, at the time of the attack, according to the police.

Jason Eaton, 48, was arrested on Sunday following a search of the area. When officers arrived at his apartment, Eaton did not identify himself but claimed he had been waiting for them. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, along with the FBI, are assisting in the investigation to determine whether the shooting was a hate crime.

Sarah George, the state's attorney of Chittenden County, stated that there was currently no evidence of a hate crime enhancement, but acknowledged that the attack was unquestionably a hateful act. The authorities have urged the public and media to refrain from drawing conclusions based on limited information.

The shooting incident has not only affected the victims and their families but has also triggered increased fears on U.S. college campuses. Campuses have already been experiencing tensions surrounding the conflict between Israel and Hamas, which erupted after a Hamas attack on October 7.

The investigation into the motive behind the attack is ongoing, and authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward. As the victims continue their recovery, the incident has shed light on the need for increased efforts to address hate crimes and create an environment where all individuals can feel safe and protected.

(Note: The provided information does not include specific numbers, entities, or dates beyond the general demographic information of the victims and the involvement of law enforcement agencies.)