2 Murdered in Attack Outside Jewish Museum in Washington, DC

By CNN and COLlive

Two staff members at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC, were killed Wednesday night near the Capital Jewish Museum, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said.

Police say the double shooting happened around 9:15 p.m. at an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee (AJC) at the Capital Jewish Museum.

When officers arrived at the scene, they found a woman and a man who were both suffering from gunshot wounds. They were unconscious and not breathing. Homicide was called and one of the victims was pronounced dead.

Speaking at a news conference, Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith said law enforcement believes the shooting was conducted by a single suspect who is now in custody.

The suspect, who Smith named as 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez from Chicago, “was observed pacing back and forth outside of the museum” before he “approached a group of four people, produced a handgun and opened fire striking both of our decedents,” she said.

After the shooting, Smith said that the suspect then entered the museum and was detained by event security. Once handcuffed, he told security where he had discarded the weapon, which was recovered by authorities. The suspect chanted “Free, Free Palestine” while in custody, Smith said.

The victims were a “young couple about to be engaged,” Yechiel Leiter, the Israeli ambassador to the US, said at the news conference. “A young man purchased a ring this week with the intention of proposing to his girlfriend next week in Jerusalem.”

In a statement, the AJC said, “American Jewish Committee (AJC) can confirm that we hosted an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. this evening. We are devastated that an unspeakable act of violence took place outside the venue. At this moment, as we await more information from the police about exactly what transpired, our attention and our hearts are solely with those who were harmed and their families.”

Danny Danon, Representative of Israel to the United Nations, wrote:
“The shooting outside the event at the Jewish Museum in Washington – in which Israeli embassy employees were also injured – is a criminal act of anti-Semitic terrorism. Attacking diplomats and the Jewish community is crossing a red line. We are confident that the US authorities will take strong action against those responsible for this criminal act. Israel will continue to act resolutely to protect its citizens and representatives – everywhere in the world.”

“These horrible D.C. killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW! Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA. Condolences to the families of the victims,” President Trump wrote on social media.