Israeli Embassy Staff Killed in Washington Shooting Outside Jewish Museum
- Victor Nwoko
- May 22
- 3 min read
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Two staff members of the Israeli Embassy were shot and killed Wednesday evening while leaving an event at the Capital Jewish Museum, prompting heightened security measures for Israeli missions amid rising global tensions linked to the Gaza conflict.
The victims, identified as Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, were leaving the museum following the American Jewish Committee’s annual Young Diplomats reception when they were attacked by a gunman. Lischinsky served as a research assistant, and Milgrim organized visits and missions to Israel.
According to Metropolitan Police, the suspect, Elias Rodriguez, 30, of Chicago, had been seen pacing outside the museum before opening fire on a group of four individuals. After the attack, he entered the museum and was detained by event security. Upon arrest, Rodriguez shouted, “Free, free Palestine,” repeatedly, according to police.
Authorities described the attack as a targeted act of violence. Investigators confirmed there is no ongoing threat to the public. Law enforcement continues to probe the motive while maintaining an increased security presence around diplomatic and Jewish institutions.
Israeli officials expressed outrage and grief over the killings. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the incident as a “horrific, antisemitic” act, adding, “We are witnessing the terrible price of antisemitism and wild incitement against Israel.” Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar also identified the victims and expressed condolences.
Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter revealed that the victims were a young couple on the verge of engagement, sharing that the man had purchased a ring to propose next week in Jerusalem. Former Israeli Ambassador Mike Herzog added that Milgrim was an American employee of the embassy, while Lischinsky was an Israeli citizen.
President Donald Trump reacted on social media early Thursday, calling for an end to antisemitic violence and stating, “Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA.” Attorney General Pam Bondi, who was present near the scene along with former judge Jeanine Pirro, assured Prime Minister Netanyahu that the U.S. government would bring the perpetrator to justice.
Eyewitness accounts detailed the moments after the shooting. Museum attendees Yoni Kalin and Katie Kalisher said the suspect entered the building looking distressed. Initially unaware of his role in the shooting, some guests offered him water. When authorities arrived, Rodriguez reportedly pulled out a red keffiyeh and shouted pro-Palestinian slogans.
“This event was about humanitarian aid,” said Kalin. “How can we help both the people in Gaza and the people in Israel? And then here he is just murdering two people in cold blood.”
The shooting follows a dramatic escalation in violence in the Middle East. The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack that killed 1,200 people and resulted in over 250 hostages. Since then, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has claimed over 53,000 lives, according to local health officials, with the majority being women and children. The war has displaced nearly 90% of Gaza’s two million residents, fueled a hunger crisis, and destroyed large portions of its infrastructure.
The Capital Jewish Museum, one of several local nonprofits recently awarded security funding, expressed deep sorrow in a statement, saying, “We are deeply saddened and horrified by the senseless violence outside the Museum this evening.”
Community leaders and Jewish organizations across Washington have responded with mourning and increased vigilance. Gil Preuss, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, expressed sympathy for the victims’ families and condemned the act as a “tragic act of antisemitic violence.”
Historically, Israeli diplomats have been targets of politically motivated violence, a consequence of the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict stemming from the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. The unresolved status of Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem continues to fuel instability as peace negotiations remain stalled.
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