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2 Israeli embassy staff members killed in DC shooting
The couple, identified as Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, was about to be engaged.
A pro-Palestinian man is in custody after allegedly killing two Israeli embassy staff members who were leaving an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night, authorities confirmed.
The Embassy of Israel to the US identified the victims as Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, who were set to be engaged.
Steven Jensen, the FBI’s Assistant Director in Charge of the Washington Field Office, said the agency will be investigating the “heinous crime” for hate crime motivation or ties to potential terrorism.
Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith said during a news conference that officers responded to multiple calls of a shooting near the museum at around 9:08 p.m. on Wednesday.
When authorities arrived at the scene, a man and a woman were found unconscious and not breathing. Despite life-saving efforts from first responders, Smith said both were pronounced dead.
A 30-year-old man identified as Elias Rodriguez, of Chicago, is believed to have committed the act alone and is in custody, Smith said, adding that his gun was also recovered.
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Two Israeli embassy staff members were shot and killed during an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. (REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst)
Smith said the preliminary investigation shows Rodriguez was allegedly observed pacing back and forth outside the museum before he approached a group of four people exiting the building, including the two victims, and began shooting.
He then entered the museum where he was detained by event security. While in custody, he yelled “Free, free Palestine!” Smith said.
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser described the shooting as “horrific,” and assured the community “there is no active threat.” She also said the city “will not tolerate this violence or hate.”
“We will not tolerate any acts of terrorism,” Bowser said, in part. “We will not tolerate antisemitism.”
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Elias Rodriguez, the 30-year-old suspect accused of shooting two Israeli Embassy staffers on Wednesday, May 21, in Washington D.C. (INSTAGRAM/@shinewithisrael)
Tal Naim Cohen, a spokesperson for the Israeli embassy in the capital, confirmed to Fox News that two diplomats were shot “at close range” while an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee (AJC) was taking place at the museum.
“We have full faith in law enforcement authorities on both the local and federal levels to apprehend the shooter and protect Israel’s representatives and Jewish communities throughout the United States,” Cohen said.
The event at the museum was for young Jewish professionals who work in foreign policy and had a panel discussion focused on finding humanitarian solutions for Gaza, Fox News learned.
The Israeli Embassy said Lischinsky and Milgrim were “in the prime of their lives.”
Sarah Lynn Milgrim, left, and Yaron Lischinsky, were about to be engaged. (Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
“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,” the embassy wrote in a post on X. “No words can express the depth of our grief and horror at this devastating loss. Our hearts are with their families, and the embassy will be by their side during this terrible time.”
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Israel’s Ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, said the two victims were dating and on the verge of engagement. Leiter said the man had just purchased a ring “with the intention of proposing to his girlfriend next week in Jerusalem.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi, center, walks to her car as law enforcement work the scene after two staff members of the Israeli Embassy in Washington were shot and killed outside the Capital Jewish Museum. (AP/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
Katie Kalisher, who was at the museum Wednesday night, told “FOX & Friends” on Thursday that she had an interaction with Rodriguez prior to his arrest. She said Rodriguez – who looked distressed and was covered in rain – came into the facility after 10 to 15 gunshots were heard outside and asked for somebody to call the police.
“I’m like, ‘so, do you like this museum?’ And he’s like, kind of playing dumb with me. He’s like, ‘oh, what kind of museum is this?’ And I’m like ‘it’s a Jewish museum. He asks ‘Do you think that is why they did it?’ in reference to gunshots we had heard. And I was like, ‘yeah maybe, I don’t know but I don’t think so, I hope not,’” Kalisher said. “And that is when he reaches into his bag and pulls out a kaffiyeh and says to me, ‘I did it. I did this for Gaza.’ And then he starts shouting ‘Free, Free Palestine!’ and the police show up and arrest him.”
Yoni Kalin, another witness, told “FOX & Friends” that a “really special” event was being held at the museum Wednesday night “bringing together staffers from 30 embassies from around the world in addition to young professionals and the conversations were about how can we work together with Muslim, Christian and Jewish groups to bring aid into Gaza.”
“And so the irony of this violent, horrible crime is that we were trying to find logistical solutions and humanitarian solutions to actually help people,” he added.
Kalin said the suspected gunman then entered the building following the shooting.
“People were bringing him water, checking in on him, showing value. And we didn’t know that he was a killer at this time,” Kalin continued, noting that the suspect later turned himself in after police showed up.
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JoJo Kalin, another witness who organized the “Young Diplomats Reception” event, told Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom” that she also encountered Rodriguez inside the building following the shooting outside.
“I just see the best in people so I didn’t presume — someone mentioned there was gunshots — I wasn’t like ‘well it must have been him,’ my thought was this poor man experienced a shooting, do you need water? I looked the killer in the eyes and said ‘can I get you water?’ He said ‘yes, that would be great.’ And I walked to get it to him, and I literally handed it off,” she said. “Unbeknowst to me, moments ago this man had execution-style killed two people — not one shot, we are talking multiple gunshots — and I looked evil right in the eye and there was was. And seconds after I handed him the water he brandishes the kaffiyeh, yells ‘Free Palestine!’ and then he is apprehended. That is how it all unfolded.”
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said DHS is “actively investigating” the incident and “working to get more information to share.”
“Please pray for the families of the victims. We will bring this depraved perpetrator to justice,” Noem wrote on X.
Danny Danon, Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, said the deadly shooting was a “depraved act of anti-Semitic(sic) terrorism” in a statement posted to X late Wednesday night.
“Harming diplomats and the Jewish community is crossing a red line. We are confident that the US authorities will take strong action against those responsible for this criminal act. Israel will continue to act resolutely to protect its citizens and representatives – everywhere in the world,” he wrote.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was “outraged by the horrifying antisemitic murder of two Israeli Embassy employees in Washington, D.C.”
Israel’s Minister of Economy and Industry Nir Barkat gestures while at the scene where two Israeli embassy staff members were shot dead near the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, May 22. (Reuters/Evelyn Hockstein)
“Attorney General [Pam Bondi] told the Prime Minister that she is sorry to the depths of her heart and that U.S. President Donald Trump is involved in managing the event, and that the U.S. will bring the murderer to justice.”
“I have directed that security be increased at Israeli missions around the world and for the state’s representatives,” Netanyahu also said in a statement.
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Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman and Bradford Betz contributed to this report.