Israeli Embassy Staff Shot Dead Outside Jewish Museum In Washington DC
Two Israeli embassy staff members were shot dead outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington DC late Wednesday, in what US and Israeli officials are calling a targeted, anti-Semitic attack.
The victims, a young couple, were shot at close range as they left an event hosted at the museum, located near several major government buildings including the FBI’s Washington field office. According to DC police, the suspect shouted “Free, free Palestine” after opening fire on a group of four.
The suspect, 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez from Chicago, was detained at the scene after being stopped by security inside the museum. Authorities say they had no prior record of Rodriguez and are treating the attack as a hate crime.
At a press conference, Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter revealed that the couple had been planning to get engaged during an upcoming trip to Jerusalem, with the male victim having purchased a ring earlier this week.
The shooting has triggered widespread condemnation. Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, labelled it a “depraved act of anti-Semitic terrorism,” while US President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social calling it “obviously antisemitism” and demanded an end to “hatred and radicalism”.
The US Secretary of State and Attorney General have pledged swift justice, while heightened security measures have been reported in several Jewish institutions across the country.
The Capital Jewish Museum, where the shooting occurred, had recently upgraded its security amid rising threats. Executive Director Beatrice Gurwitz said in an earlier interview that institutions like hers had been increasingly on alert due to a climate of rising anti-Semitism and recent security concerns tied to new exhibitions.
The tragedy comes amid growing tensions linked to the Israel-Palestine conflict and a surge in hate crimes targeting Jewish communities across the US.
The victims’ names have not yet been released. The investigation is ongoing.
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