Israeli embassy staff killed in D.C. shooting; suspect shouts “Free Palestine” upon arrest

Two staff members of the Israeli Embassy in Washington were fatally shot Wednesday evening outside the Capital Jewish Museum in what officials are describing as a targeted and likely antisemitic attack.

The victims have been identified as Yaron Lischinsky, a research assistant, and Sarah Milgrim, who coordinated official visits and missions to Israel. According to Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter, the pair were a young couple on the verge of engagement. “He had just purchased a ring to propose in Jerusalem next week,” Leiter said.

Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith stated that the shooting occurred as Lischinsky and Milgrim were leaving an event at the museum. The suspect, 31-year-old Elias Rodriguez of Chicago, allegedly approached a group of four individuals outside the museum and opened fire. Two others reportedly escaped without injury.

Rodriguez was seen pacing outside the museum prior to the attack. After the shooting, he entered the building and was apprehended by event security personnel. Upon being taken into custody, Rodriguez reportedly shouted, “Free, free Palestine,” police said.

Authorities have not yet determined whether Rodriguez has legal representation, and attempts to reach him for comment have been unsuccessful.

At a Thursday press conference, Smith emphasized that there was “no ongoing threat to the broader community,” although the Israeli Embassy and other diplomatic sites have since increased their security measures.

The shooting comes amid heightened global tensions related to Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the incident, calling it a “horrific, antisemitic” attack and a tragic example of “the terrible price of antisemitism and wild incitement.”

Former U.S. President Donald Trump also weighed in on social media, stating, “These horrible D.C. killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW! Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA.”

Attorney General Pam Bondi, who was at the scene alongside U.S. Attorney for Washington Jeanine Pirro, confirmed that the Justice Department is actively investigating the case. Bondi reportedly assured Prime Minister Netanyahu that the U.S. is committed to bringing the perpetrator to justice, with Trump said to be “involved in managing the incident.”

Dan Bongino, deputy director of the FBI, stated online that early indications suggest the attack was an act of “targeted violence.”