Two Israeli embassy staff members were shot and killed Wednesday night outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., in what officials are calling a targeted, antisemitic attack.
The victims, Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky, were a young couple attending an American Jewish Committee event focused on peacebuilding in the Middle East and North Africa. According to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the young couple was preparing to get engaged. Lischinsky, a Christian, had recently purchased a ring and planned to propose in Jerusalem next week.
Ambassador Ron Prosor, who taught Lischinsky, said the young man “embodied the Judeo-Christian values and set an example for young people worldwide.”
Police identified the suspected shooter as 31-year-old Elias Rodriguez of Chicago, who shouted “Free, free Palestine” during his arrest inside the museum.
Washington Police Chief Pamela Smith said Rodriguez “implied” responsibility for the killings, and the FBI is currently reviewing a series of writings linked to him.
Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino condemned the attack as a “targeted act of anti-Semitic violence,” vowing a thorough investigation and harsh penalties for the suspect.
“Targeted acts of anti-Semitic violence are typically carried out by spineless, gutless cowards,” Bongino wrote on X. “And the penalties will be harsh as we tighten up this investigation and run down any additional leads.”
Meanwhile, Netanyahu called the shooting “abhorrent,” expressing sorrow for the families.
“My heart grieves for the families of the young beloveds, whose lives were cut short in a moment by an abhorrent antisemitic murderer,” he said during a late-night news conference.
Vice President JD Vance also responded, writing on X, “My heart breaks for Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky, who were murdered last night at the Capital Jewish Museum. Antisemitic violence has no place in the United States.”
“We’re praying for their families and all of our friends at the Israeli Embassy, where the two victims worked,” he added.
The US Attorney’s Office in D.C., led by Jeanine Pirro, will prosecute the case.
“On behalf of the president, his prayers are with all of us, all of the Jewish community,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a press conference. “We will follow the facts. We will follow the law. And this defendant, if charged, will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. “
President Donald Trump, who launched a Federal Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism in January, also weighed in on social media.
“These horrible D.C. killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW! Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA,” he wrote Thursday. “Condolences to the families of the victims. So sad that such things as this can happen! God Bless You ALL!”