Jaston Eaton, the suspect accused of shooting three Palestinian college students in Vermont, pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempted second-degree murder on Monday.
Eaton, 48, is being held without bail. Chittenden County Superior Court Judge Gregory Rainville ruled the order pending his next court appearance, which has not been scheduled.
In the virtual appearance, the suspect made a statement along the lines of “I’ve been waiting for you” to an agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) who is investigating the shooting, according to court documents released by NBC News .
Jason Eaton told this to the ATF agent who contacted him at his apartment, according to the outlet’s information. The man also reported there was a shotgun there.
However, when the officer asked Eaton if there were any other weapons in the apartment, he did not identify himself or answer the question.
According to official documents obtained by the outlet, the man had a Ruger .380 pistol, a loaded magazine containing five bullets and pistol ammunition.
Eaton Lawyers
Eaton’s attorneys said they wish the three shooting victims a speedy recovery.
“We, as human beings, hope that people who were shot recover quickly and completely,” Margaret Jansch, Eaton’s attorney, told reporters after his arraignment today, according to NBC News.
Jansch and Sarah Varty, attorneys with the Attorney General’s Office in Vermont, declined to answer questions about the conversations they had with Eaton, as well as about Eaton’s religious affiliation, the outlet reported.
Regarding whether the attack is a hate crime, as reported by the relatives of the three victims, Jansch said that it would be “premature for us to speculate” and assured that “it is privileged information.”
Background
The shooting suspect has six vehicle-related traffic tickets in Vermont since 1998, according to an NBC News review of state court records.
According to documents obtained by the outlet, Eaton received tickets for violating the local speed limit, the overtaking limitation and the inspection of a registered vehicle. According to the information, the incidents occurred in several jurisdictions in Vermont, including West Rutland, New Haven, Salisbury, Woodstock and Burlington.
The most recent fine is from 2016, according to the media.
In addition, the media published that Eaton was fired from his job earlier this month at CUSO Financial, as reported by the company this Monday.
“Jason Eaton worked for less than a year at CUSO Financial and was terminated from employment on November 8, 2023. We are horrified by the shooting and are cooperating with authorities as they investigate. We have no further comments,” said a spokeswoman quoted by the media.
A review of Eaton’s social media by NBC News found that the man had searches related to obtaining “psychic powers,” or anti-vaccines.
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