Two Israeli Embassy Staffers Shot and Killed Outside Event in Washington, Officials Say

Politics|Two Israeli Embassy Staffers Shot and Killed Outside Event in Washington, Officials Say

Two Israeli Embassy aides were shot and killed outside an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington on Wednesday night, as an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee took place inside, government officials and others said.

“Two Israeli Embassy staff were senselessly killed tonight near the Jewish Museum in Washington DC,” Kristi Noem, the secretary of homeland security, wrote on social media. “We are actively investigating and working to get more information to share. Please pray for the families of the victims.”

Washington’s mayor, Muriel Bowser, said the shooting took place shortly after 9 p.m.

The “horrific incident is going to frighten a lot of people in our city and in our country,” she said at a news conference. “I want to be clear that we will not tolerate this violence or hate in our city. We will not tolerate any acts of terrorism, and we are going to stand together as a community in the coming days and weeks” against antisemitism.

Police officials said a single suspect was believed to be responsible for the shooting, and was seen pacing in front of the museum before the shooting. He then walked into the museum after the shooting and was detained by security officers.

“Free, free Palestine,” the suspect said while in custody, according to Pamela A. Smith, the chief of the Metropolitan Police Department.

She identified the suspect as Elias Rodriguez, 30, of Chicago.

Attorney General Pam Bondi posted on social media that she was “on the scene of the horrible shooting outside the Washington, D.C. Capital Jewish Museum,” alongside the interim U.S. attorney for Washington, Jeanine Pirro.