Jason Eaton convicted of attempted murder in Vermont student shooting
A jury rejected an insanity defense rooted in claims of acting on orders from intelligence agencies.
AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made

Jason Eaton convicted of attempted murder in Vermont student shooting
Photograph: abc News (embedded from source)
What this story says
- A jury convicted Jason Eaton of attempted murder for shooting three Palestinian students in November 2023 near the University of Vermont.
- Eaton rejected an insanity defense, which was based on his claims of receiving orders from the CIA and Mossad.
- One victim, Hisham Awartani, was left paralyzed from the waist down.
- Eaton faces a potential sentence of life in prison.
Who covered it
Percentages are shares of the 92 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 6 of the 98 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .
Trust
42/100
Craft
60/100
Hype
20/100
98 sources · methodology
Thin on the right so far
Only 4 of the 92 outlets with a published leaning rating that ran this story are rated right.
This story is still being watched, so it is a count and not yet a finding. Coverage keeps arriving for hours after an event, and a side that has published nothing this morning may publish by tonight. If it is still true when we stop checking, we will say so plainly.
A jury has convicted Jason Eaton of attempted murder for shooting three Palestinian students in Burlington, Vermont, in November 2023. The verdict came after the jury rejected an insanity defense Eaton had put forward. His defense was based on claims that he was acting on orders from the CIA and Mossad, which he said were transmitted to him via FM radio.
The shooting occurred near the University of Vermont campus. One of the victims, Hisham Awartani, sustained injuries that left him paralyzed from the waist down. His friends, Tahseen Aliahmad and Kinnan Abdalhamid, were also wounded in the attack. Eaton faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Disagreement on the date of the shooting
The shooting occurred in November 2023, according to ABC News and Spectrum News. Social News XYZ stated the shooting took place on November 25, 2023.
What the coverage left out
None of the left, centre, or right-rated reports printed below mention the specific date of the shooting, November 25, 2023, which was stated by Social News XYZ.
Still developing. We have re-checked which outlets are covering this 4 times, most recently on 21 Sept 2026, 21:45, and will add the sides that appear.
How each side covered it
Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.
Left
34 rated outlets
- Left-rated reports highlighted the rejection of Jason Eaton's insanity defense, which was rooted in his claims of acting on orders from the CIA and Mossad. Several reports noted that the shooting occurred weeks after the start of the Israel-Hamas war and that it illustrated the violent reverberations of the conflict across the US. ABC News and NBC News detailed the victims' injuries, including Hisham Awartani's paralysis, and quoted him describing the moment of the shooting. They also mentioned that the victims were wearing Palestinian scarves known as keffiyehs. Al Jazeera stated Eaton faces up to life in prison after the jury rejected his defense. IndexHR reported that the court rejected the defense about the CIA and Mossad. Washington Sun noted Eaton could face life in prison. MS NOW stated the shooting was one of several cases that illustrated the violent reverberations of the war across the U.S.
Centre
54 rated outlets
- Centre-rated reports focused on the jury's conviction of Jason Eaton for attempted murder and the rejection of his insanity defense. Multiple outlets, including Washington Top News, Spectrum News, Bay News 9, KCRA 3, WCVB, WLWT, WMUR, WLKY, and Koco News5, stated that Eaton faces up to life in prison. BBC News noted the shooting occurred amid a rise in Islamophobia and antisemitism following the start of the Israel-Gaza war.
Right
4 rated outlets
- Right-rated reports from the New York Post and Boston Herald stated that a jury convicted Jason Eaton of attempted murder for shooting three Palestinian college students. Both reports mentioned the rejection of his insanity defense, which was rooted in his claims of acting on orders from the CIA and Mossad.
Questions about this coverage
- How did the left and right cover Jason Eaton convicted of attempted murder in Vermont student shooting?
- Of the 92 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 37% are rated left, 59% are rated centre, 4% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 98. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
- Is Jason Eaton convicted of attempted murder in Vermont student shooting left or right?
- Neither side dominates it. Of the 92 rated outlets on this story, 37% are rated left, 59% are rated centre, 4% are rated right, and no side holds the 70% this site would want before calling a field one-sided. A story is not left or right in any case; the outlets that carried it are what carry ratings.
- Is the coverage of Jason Eaton convicted of attempted murder in Vermont student shooting biased?
- Jason Eaton convicted of attempted murder in Vermont student shooting is one event reported by 98 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
- Which side is not reporting Jason Eaton convicted of attempted murder in Vermont student shooting?
- When we first saw this story, outlets rated right had barely covered it. Coverage accretes for hours after an event, so that is where to look rather than a verdict — the split above is the current count, and it is the one to read.
- Which outlets covered Jason Eaton convicted of attempted murder in Vermont student shooting?
- 98 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
- Who was convicted in the Vermont student shooting?
- Jason Eaton was convicted of attempted murder for shooting three Palestinian students in Vermont in November 2023. The jury rejected his insanity defense, which was based on claims of acting on orders from the CIA and Mossad.
- What was Jason Eaton's defense?
- Jason Eaton's defense team argued he should be found not guilty by reason of insanity. They claimed he believed he was receiving orders from the CIA and Mossad via FM radio, which compelled him to shoot the students.
- What are the potential consequences for Jason Eaton?
- Jason Eaton faces up to life in prison for the attempted murder conviction. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled.
- What injuries did the victims sustain?
- One of the victims, Hisham Awartani, was left paralyzed from the waist down after being shot in the chest and scapula. His friends, Tahseen Aliahmad and Kinnan Abdalhamid, were also wounded in the shooting.
Read it at the source
98 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.
Left
34- US man convicted in 2023 shooting of three Palestinian students in Vermont (opens Al Jazeera in a new tab)
Al Jazeera — is Al Jazeera biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Vermont Man Guilty of Shooting 3 Palestinian Students (opens Newser in a new tab)
- Vermont Man Convicted Of Attempted Murder In Shooting Of 3 Palestinian Students (opens HuffPost in a new tab)
- Shot Palestinian Students in the US. Court Rejects Defense About CIA and Mossad (opens IndexHR in a new tab)
- A Vermont Man is Convicted of Attempted Murder In the Shooting of Three Palestinian Students (opens washingtonsun.com in a new tab)
washingtonsun.com — is washingtonsun.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury finds man guilty of shooting 3 Palestinian college students in Vermont (opens MS NOW in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens CNN in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens NBC News in a new tab)
Show 26 more
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens ElliotLakeToday.com in a new tab)
ElliotLakeToday.com — is ElliotLakeToday.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens Bay Today in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens The Daily Star in a new tab)
The Daily Star — is The Daily Star biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens Richmond Register in a new tab)
Richmond Register — is Richmond Register biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury finds Vermont man guilty of attempted murder in 2023 shooting of three Palestinian students - The Boston Globe (opens Boston Globe in a new tab)
Boston Globe — is Boston Globe biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens The Independent (US) in a new tab)
The Independent (US) — is The Independent (US) biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens The Independent in a new tab)
The Independent — is The Independent biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens The Seattle Times in a new tab)
The Seattle Times — is The Seattle Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens flamboroughtoday.com in a new tab)
flamboroughtoday.com — is flamboroughtoday.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens Timmins Today in a new tab)
Timmins Today — is Timmins Today biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens Sudbury in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens Bowen Island Undercurrent in a new tab)
Bowen Island Undercurrent — is Bowen Island Undercurrent biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens Elora Fergus Today in a new tab)
Elora Fergus Today — is Elora Fergus Today biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens Thorold Today in a new tab)
Thorold Today — is Thorold Today biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens Orillia Matters in a new tab)
Orillia Matters — is Orillia Matters biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens SooToday.com in a new tab)
SooToday.com — is SooToday.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens Rocky Mountain Outlook in a new tab)
Rocky Mountain Outlook — is Rocky Mountain Outlook biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens The Toronto Star in a new tab)
The Toronto Star — is The Toronto Star biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens Bangor Daily News in a new tab)
Bangor Daily News — is Bangor Daily News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens ABC News in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vt. man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens NBC Boston in a new tab)
NBC Boston — is NBC Boston biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens The Record in a new tab)
The Record — is The Record biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens The Hamilton Spectator in a new tab)
The Hamilton Spectator — is The Hamilton Spectator biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens St Catharines Standard in a new tab)
St Catharines Standard — is St Catharines Standard biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vt. man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens NBC Dallas-Fort Worth in a new tab)
NBC Dallas-Fort Worth — is NBC Dallas-Fort Worth biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens Durango Herald in a new tab)
Durango Herald — is Durango Herald biased? Our profile of this outlet
Centre
54- Jason Eaton found guilty of attempting to kill 3 Palestinian students (opens UPI in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinians (opens Spectrum News in a new tab)
Spectrum News — is Spectrum News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Vermont man guilty of attempted murder for shooting three Palestinians (opens BBC News in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinians (opens Spectrum News 13 in a new tab)
Spectrum News 13 — is Spectrum News 13 biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinians (opens Bay News 9 in a new tab)
Bay News 9 — is Bay News 9 biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in 2023 shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens MOR-TV in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in 2023 shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens KHBS in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in 2023 shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens KSBW in a new tab)
Show 46 more
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in 2023 shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens WXII in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in 2023 shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens WGAL in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in 2023 shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens WPBF in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in 2023 shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens WAPT in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in 2023 shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens KOAT in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in 2023 shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens WVTM in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in 2023 shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens WMTW in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in 2023 shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens WBAL-TV in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in 2023 shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens KMBC in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in 2023 shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens KETV in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in 2023 shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens WISN in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in 2023 shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens KCCI in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in 2023 shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens WTAE in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in 2023 shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens WDSU in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in 2023 shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens WYFF in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in 2023 shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens WESH in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in 2023 shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens Koco News5 in a new tab)
Koco News5 — is Koco News5 biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in 2023 shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens WLKY in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in 2023 shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens WMUR in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in 2023 shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens WLWT in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in 2023 shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens WCVB in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in 2023 shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens KCRA 3 in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens Boston.com in a new tab)
Boston.com — is Boston.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens Hometown News LP in a new tab)
Hometown News LP — is Hometown News LP biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens The Northern Virginia Daily in a new tab)
The Northern Virginia Daily — is The Northern Virginia Daily biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens The Daily Advance in a new tab)
The Daily Advance — is The Daily Advance biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students - Boston News, Weather, Sports (opens WHDH in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens Rutland Herald in a new tab)
Rutland Herald — is Rutland Herald biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury finds Burlington man guilty in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens VT Digger in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens meadowlakeNOW in a new tab)
meadowlakeNOW — is meadowlakeNOW biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens The Record in a new tab)
The Record
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens Daily Local News in a new tab)
Daily Local News — is Daily Local News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students – WTOP News (opens Washington Top News in a new tab)
Washington Top News — is Washington Top News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens Ckpg Today in a new tab)
Ckpg Today — is Ckpg Today biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens CFJC Today Kamloops in a new tab)
CFJC Today Kamloops — is CFJC Today Kamloops biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens Battlefords NOW in a new tab)
Battlefords NOW — is Battlefords NOW biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens WKMG in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens WPLG in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palesti (opens WBAL in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students, rejecting insanity defense (opens WV News in a new tab)
- Jurors Start Deliberating in Trial of Man Charged With Shooting Three Palestinians (opens Seven Days in a new tab)
Seven Days — is Seven Days biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man in shooting that left Brown University student paralyzed (opens WJAR in a new tab)
- Eaton found guilty in Burlington shooting of Palestinians, jury rejects insanity: recap (opens Burlington Free Press in a new tab)
Burlington Free Press — is Burlington Free Press biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Day 6 in attempted murder trial of Jason Eaton underway with closing arguments expected (opens WPTZ in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens Winnipeg Free Press in a new tab)
Winnipeg Free Press — is Winnipeg Free Press biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury finds Jason Eaton guilty on all counts in shooting of Palestinian American students (opens WCAX-TV in a new tab)
Right
4- Man who shot 3 Palestinian students convicted of attempted murder — rejecting insanity claim (opens New York Post in a new tab)
New York Post — is New York Post biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens Daily Jefferson County Union in a new tab)
Daily Jefferson County Union — is Daily Jefferson County Union biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens Boston Herald in a new tab)
Boston Herald — is Boston Herald biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students, rejecting insanity defense (opens The Batesville Daily Guard in a new tab)
The Batesville Daily Guard — is The Batesville Daily Guard biased? Our profile of this outlet
Not rated
6- The Man Who Shot Three Palestinian Students in the US Has Been Found Guilty of Attempted Murder. (opens Haberler in a new tab)
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens BizToc in a new tab)
- Vermont jury convicts a man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens Social News XYZ in a new tab)
Social News XYZ — is Social News XYZ biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jury finds Burlington man guilty in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens perugazette.com in a new tab)
perugazette.com — is perugazette.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- American Conviction for Attempted Murder in the Shooting of Three Palestinian Students (opens Unknown in a new tab)
Unknown
- Jury convicts Vermont man of attempted murder in shooting of 3 Palestinian students (opens PressNewsAgency in a new tab)
PressNewsAgency — is PressNewsAgency biased? Our profile of this outlet
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