Washington DC shooting latest: Suspect chanted ‘Free Palestine’ after two Israeli embassy staffers killed
A man is in custody after two Israeli embassy staffers – a couple who were about to become engaged – were gunned down Wednesday night outside a Jewish museum in Washington, D.C.
Police say the suspect, identified as Chicago man Elias Rodriguez, 30, chanted “free, free Palestine” following his arrest over the shooting, which occurred at 9.15pm local time after they left an event at the Capital Jewish Museum focused on helping Gazans.
The first victim has since been named as Yaron Lischinsky, 28, a political analyst who worked at Israel’s embassy in D.C.
One victim is believed to have died shortly after the attack while the second was taken to a local hospital in a critical condition where they also died. The shooting was at “close range,” a spokesperson for the embassy said.
Washington Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith said Rodriguez, who was not previously known to police, was seen pacing outside the museum before the shooting and afterwards tried to get into the venue before being detained by security.
“Once in handcuffs, the suspect identified where he discarded the weapon, and that weapon has been recovered, and he implied that he committed the offence,” she said.
Writing on Truth Social, U.S. President Donald Trump immediately condemned the shooting as antisemitism, commenting: “These horrible D.C. killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW! Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said he was “shocked” by the “horrific, antisemitic” shooting.
