Police said a suspect was in custody after the shooting near the Capital Jewish Museum<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A suspect is in custody after shooting dead two Israeli embassy staff outside a Jewish museum in Washington on Wednesday night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The gunman, named by police as Elias Rodriguez, 30, of Chicago, approached a group of four people leaving an event at the Capital Jewish Museum and opened fire, killing a man and woman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Metropolitan police Chief Pamela Smith said the shooter had been pacing outside the museum, which is steps away from the FBI\u2019s field office, before the shooting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After killing the pair, he walked inside where event security detained him. The suspect yelled, \u201cFree, free Palestine\u201d after he was arrested, police said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He was not on any security watchlists and there were no heightened security threats ahead of the shooting, officials said. The firearm was retrieved as well, officials said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter said the victims were a young couple who were about to become engaged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Attorney general Pam Bondi, who was at the scene with US attorney Jeanine Pirro, said she had spoken to US president Donald Trump multiple times throughout the night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump condemned the killings on Truth Social \u201cThese 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. So sad that such things as this can happen! God Bless You ALL!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Spokesperson at the Israeli embassy in Washington Tal Naim Cohen said the staff members were shot at close range while attending a Jewish event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington DC<\/a>. FBI Director Kash Patel said he and his team had been briefed on the shooting. Last week, the Capital Jewish Museum was one of the local nonprofits in Washington awarded funding from a $500,000 grant program to increase its security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019re going to stand together as a community in the coming days and weeks to send the clear message that we will not tolerate anti-Semitism,\u201d Mayor Muriel Bowser told reporters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere is no active threat in our community. What I do know is that 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.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have full faith in law enforcement authorities on both the local and federal levels to apprehend the shooter and protect Israel\u2019s representatives and Jewish communities throughout the United States,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhile we\u2019re working with [Metropolitan Police Department] to respond and learn more, in the immediate, please pray for the victims and their families,\u201d he wrote on X.
Israeli president Isaac Herzog said he was \u201cdevastated\u201d by the scenes in Washington.
\u201cThis is a despicable act of hatred, of antisemitism, which has claimed the lives of two young employees of the Israeli embassy. Our hearts are with the loved ones of those murdered and our immediate prayers are with the injured. I send my full support to the Ambassador and all the embassy staff.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n