Over the weekend in Vermont, three college students of Palestinian descent were seriously injured in a close-range shooting on a city street, during a walk.

The incident, currently under investigation as a potential hate crime, involved Jason J. Eaton, 48, who appeared in court via video on Monday.

He faces three counts of attempted murder, with a not guilty plea entered on his behalf, and has been ordered held without bail.

The U.S. Department of Justice, in collaboration with Vermont authorities, is exploring whether the shooting, which occurred during an uptick in threats against Jewish, Muslim, and Arab communities in the wake of the Israel-Hamas conflict, qualifies as a hate crime, according to Attorney General Merrick Garland.

The victims, all 20 years old, were on Thanksgiving break in Burlington and out for a walk when they were confronted by a white man armed with a handgun, the Associated Press reports.

During a news conference, Sarah George, the state’s attorney, stated that as of now, law enforcement lacks the evidence necessary to substantiate a hate crime charge, emphasizing that, according to Vermont law, such charges must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

However, she underscored, “I want to be clear that there is no question that this was a hateful act.”

Written by B.C. Begley