Israeli embassy staff shot dead

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A man and a woman, employees of the Israeli embassy in the United States, were fatally shot Wednesday night outside the Jewish Museum in Washington, authorities said.

According to the Israeli embassy in the US, the victims are Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, a Jewish American couple. “Yaron and Sarah were our friends and colleagues. They were in the prime of their lives,” the embassy wrote on social media, sharing a photo of the couple.

“All embassy staff are heartbroken and devastated by his murder. There are no words that can express the depth of our grief and the horror of this devastating loss,” the embassy said.

Yaron and Sarah were our friends and colleagues. They were in the prime of their lives.

This evening, a terrorist shot and killed them as they exited an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in DC.

The entire embassy staff is heartbroken and devastated by their murder. No words… pic.twitter.com/2HytKDp8Fr

— Embassy of Israel to the USA (@IsraelinUSA) May 22, 2025

“Two Israeli Embassy employees were senselessly killed tonight near the Jewish Museum in Washington DC (…) We are actively investigating and working to gather more information to share,” US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement posted on the social network X.

Two Israeli Embassy staff were senselessly killed tonight near the Jewish Museum in Washington DC. We are actively investigating and working to get more information to share. Please pray for the families of the victims.

We will bring this depraved perpetrator to justice.

— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) May 22, 2025

Police in the US capital, who are advising people to avoid the area around the museum, said they were investigating the attack, which took place outside the local FBI office, and were working with the Israeli Embassy.

The suspect was identified and arrested at the scene: Elias Rodriguez, 30, a Chicago native with no criminal record. The Metropolitan Police Department chief reported that Rodriguez was seen pacing in front of the Jewish Museum and opening fire on a group of four people leaving the event — among whom were the two fatal victims.

He then entered the museum, where he was eventually detained for questioning. A video released by US media shows the moment of the arrest, in which the suspect shouts “Free Palestine”. Yoni Kalin, a witness who was at the scene, told CNN International that the suspect waited there and, when the police arrived, he turned himself in. “I did this, I did it for Palestine”, he is said to have said, according to Kalin’s account. The witness also claims that he “didn’t realise that he was responsible”.

تسجيل تداولته وسائل إعلام أمريكية يظهر المشتبه به في إطلاق النار بالعاصمة قائلا "الحرية لفلسطين" أثناء إلقاء القبض عليه #الأخبار pic.twitter.com/ZYEBwrXrHM

— الجزيرة فلسطين (@AJA_Palestine) May 22, 2025

Israel's prime minister said what happened in Washington was "a horrific anti-Semitic murder." "We are witnessing the horrible toll of anti-Semitism and rampant incitement against Israel," according to a post on the social network X.

Prime Minister Netanyahu:

"We are witness to the terrible cost of antisemitism and wild incitement against the State of Israel. Blood libels against Israel have a cost in blood and must be fought to the utmost.

»

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) May 22, 2025

Netanyahu also said he had given instructions “to strengthen the security of Israel’s missions around the world and to increase the protection of its representatives abroad.”

“These horrific murders in Washington, D.C., clearly motivated by anti-Semitism, must end NOW!” US President Donald Trump tweeted on the social network Truth Social on Thursday. “ Hate and radicalism have no place in the United States ,” he added.

Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, called the attack a "vicious act of anti-Semitic terrorism" in a post in X .

The fatal shooting that took place outside the event that took place at the Jewish Museum in Washington, DC is a depraved act of anti-Semitic terrorism. Harming the Jewish community is crossing a red line. We are confident that the US authorities will take strong action against… pic.twitter.com/mVyXHjGyxU

—Danny Danon???????? דני דנון (@dannydanon) May 22, 2025

“Harming the Jewish community is a red line. We are confident that U.S. authorities will hold those responsible for this criminal act accountable. Israel will continue to act with determination to protect its citizens and representatives around the world,” Danon said.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said on social media that she had traveled to the scene with Jeanine Ferris Pirro, deputy attorney general for the District of Columbia. “We pray for the victims of this violence as we work to learn more about what happened,” Bondi said.

I am on the scene of the horrible shooting outside the Washington, DC Capital Jewish Museum with @USAttyPirro . Praying for the victims of this violence as we work to learn more.

— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) May 22, 2025

American Jewish Committee Executive Director Ted Deutch told ABC that the group had organized an event at the museum on Wednesday night.

“We are devastated by a heinous act of violence that occurred outside of the venue. At this time, as we await further information from police about what happened, our attention and hearts are with the victims and their families,” Deutch added.

Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said she was “shocked” by the murder of the two Israeli embassy employees. “There is and should be no place in our societies for hatred, extremism or anti-Semitism,” Kallas wrote in X. “I extend my condolences to the families of the victims and to the people of Israel,” the EU foreign policy chief concluded.

Shocked by the shooting of two Israeli embassy staff in Washington DC.

There is and should be no place in our societies for hatred, extremism, or antisemitism.

I extend my condolences to the families of the victims and the people of Israel.

— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) May 22, 2025