Israeli Embassy Couple Shot Dead Outside Jewish Museum in Washington DC

A young couple who worked at the Israeli Embassy were shot and killed outside a Jewish museum in Washington DC.

What happened?
The shooting took place at 9:08 p.m. on Wednesday outside the Capital Jewish Museum. This is in a busy area with museums and government buildings.

The victims, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, were found unconscious. Police said they were killed by a man shouting "free, free Palestine."

The suspect, Elias Rodriguez, 30, from Chicago, is in custody. Police said he walked back and forth outside before shooting at a group of four people. He then went into the museum, where people thought he needed help. They gave him water and tried to calm him down, not knowing he had just shot two people.

The FBI is looking into whether this was a hate crime or terrorism.

Who were the victims?
Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim worked at the Israeli Embassy. Lischinsky, who had both German and Israeli citizenship, had served in the Israeli army. He moved to Israel as a teen and later to the U.S. He was planning to propose to Sarah next week in Jerusalem.

Sarah Milgrim was from Kansas and worked in public diplomacy. Her father said she loved Israel and also had many Palestinian friends. She was known for her warm and caring nature.

About the suspect
Elias Rodriguez is being held by police and will appear in court soon. He worked at a health group and had ties to pro-Palestinian protests. In 2017, he was linked to a small communist party, which now says they do not support him or his actions.

Police had no previous record of him and said nothing in his past stood out.

The event
The event was a gathering for young Jewish professionals and diplomats. It aimed to support aid efforts in places like Gaza. Only those who signed up got the location details.

Reactions
Former President Donald Trump called the attack antisemitic. He said hate and violence must stop in the U.S.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also spoke out. He said it was a shocking antisemitic act and told embassies to increase security. Some Israeli leaders blamed world figures like UK’s Keir Starmer and France’s Emmanuel Macron for stirring anti-Israel views.

This comes as Israel continues its military action in Gaza. That started after a Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 people and led to hostages being taken. Over 53,000 people have died in Gaza since, according to local health officials.