Welch Statement on Shooting of Three Palestinian-American Students in Burlington

Statement

"The senseless shooting of three Palestinian-American students in Burlington last night is heartbreaking. Margaret and I send our thoughts to these young men and their families during this difficult time, and hope that each student makes a full recovery from this heinous act of violence.

We condemn hate and Islamophobia- this is not reflective of our Vermont values and our belief in community. The past seven weeks of conflict in the Middle East have brought an alarming spike in Islamophobic incidents across the United States, and underscores the necessity of supporting our Muslim community. This cycle of fear, intimidation, and violence must end. It is unacceptable.

It is my expectation that law enforcement will quickly identify the shooter, and I will continue to monitor this situation. My office is in contact with the Department of Justice and FBI, and will work to ensure our local and state law enforcement's investigation is supported by federal authorities as they investigate this shooting as a possible hate crime.

As Vermonters, we must come together to help our community heal from this tragic attack and unite against discrimination and hate."

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