WASHINGTON - Two Israeli embassy staff were shot dead outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC on Wednesday night and a suspect is in custody, officials said.
Gunfire broke out on the sidewalk outside the museum in the centre of Washington where a social event was being held for young professionals and diplomatic staff.
The victims were a young couple who planned to get married, said Yechiel Leiter, the Israeli ambassador to the US.
“The young man purchased a ring this week with the intention of proposing to his girlfriend next week in Jerusalem,” he said.
First responders found a man and a woman unconscious and not breathing. Despite life-saving efforts, both were pronounced dead.
A video circulating on social media showed a young bearded man in a jacket and white shirt shouting “free, free Palestine” as he was led away by police.
“We believe the shooting was committed by a single suspect who is now in custody,” Washington Police Chief Pamela Smith told reporters.
“Prior to the shooting the suspect was observed pacing back and forth outside of the museum. He approached a group of four people, produced a handgun and opened fire,” she said.
“After the shooting, the suspect then entered the museum and was detained by event security.”
She said the handcuffed suspect identified where he had discarded the weapon and chanted “Free, free Palestine”.
Police identified him as Elias Rodriguez, 30, from Chicago.
President Donald Trump quickly condemned the attack, saying “These horrible D.C. killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW!”
“Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA,” he added on social media.
Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, called the shooting “a depraved act of anti-Semitic terrorism”.
“Harming diplomats and the Jewish community is crossing a red line,” Danon said in a post on X. “We are confident that the US authorities will take strong action against those responsible for this criminal act.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi and the US Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, were on the scene of the shooting.
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said the “horrific incident is going to frighten a lot of people in our city and in our country”.
“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.
“I am devastated by the scenes in Washington,” Israeli President Isaac Herzog said in a statement. “This is a despicable act of hatred, of anti-Semitism, which has claimed the lives of two young employees of the Israeli embassy.
“America and Israel will stand united in defense of our people and our shared values. Terror and hate will not break us.”