Israeli embassy shooting in Washington: 2 employees killed

Armed attack in the US capital: a man and a woman shot dead after an event at the Jewish Museum. Suspect apprehended who allegedly shouted ‘Free Palestine’ before opening fire

Two employees of the Israeli embassy in the US were shot dead Wednesday night in a shootout outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC, shortly after 9.15pm local time. The victims, a man and a woman, were also a couple in private life. They had just left an event at the museum when they were approached by a gunman who, according to several witnesses, shouted ‘Free Palestine’ before shooting.

The suspect, Elias Rodriguez, 30, originally from Chicago, was arrested soon afterwards by museum security and later taken into police custody. According to investigators, the man was seen prowling around the museum before approaching a small group of people, then drawing a firearm and opening fire at close range. After his arrest, he pointed to the spot where he had hidden the gun.

The DC police confirmed that this was an individual action and that the suspect is currently under interrogation. ‘We believe that a single suspect, who is now under arrest, opened fire,’ said police department head Pamela Smith.

The victims worked at the Israeli embassy and, according to diplomatic spokeswoman Tal Naim Cohen, were in the process of getting engaged. Ambassador Yechiel Leiter said the man had bought an engagement ring last week and planned to propose in Jerusalem in the coming days.

The event at the museum had been organised in cooperation with the American Jewish Committee (AJC), whose CEO Ted Deutch confirmed the presence of the two Israeli employees at the event. One of the victims died in hospital after being transported in critical condition.

Immediate official reactions. President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social: ‘These horrific killings in DC, obviously based on anti-Semitism, must end now. Hate and radicalism have no place in the United States.’

Secretary of State Marco Rubio also condemned the attack, calling it ‘a shameless act of cowardly, anti-Semitic violence’ and promising justice.

The Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, spoke of a ‘depraved act of anti-Semitic terrorism’ and claimed that two other embassy members were reportedly injured, an information not yet officially confirmed by the US authorities.

Investigations are ongoing and the authorities are assessing the motive for the attack, which has obvious political and anti-Semitic connotations. Security measures around diplomatic premises and Jewish places of worship in the capital have been tightened.

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(Photo: © AndKronos)