Two Israeli embassy staff members were killed in a shooting outside an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC, on Wednesday night, according to officials and media reports. The man and the woman were shot dead after a suspect, now identified as Elias Rodriguez, approached the group and opened fire. Upon his arrest he yelled “Free, free Palestine”. White House condemned the act sharing a post from Donald Trump‘s Truth Social. He said, “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. So sad that such things as this can happen!”

Located just steps away from the FBI office, Homeland Security Chie Kristy Noem confirmed the news earlier today. The embassy aides were shot and killed outside an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee as per government officials. The FBI field office revealed that the incident occurred in the area of 3rd and F streets in Northwest. Former Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Mike Herzog told Israeli Army Radio that the woman killed was an American employee of the embassy and the man was Israeli.

FBI Director Kash Patel said he and his team had been briefed on the shooting. “While we’re working with [Metropolitan Police Department] to respond and learn more, in the immediate, please pray for the victims and their families,” he wrote on X. He also ensured that there is “no ongoing threat to public safety”. The shooting comes as Israel has launched a new campaign targeting Hamas in the Gaza Strip in a war that has set tensions aflame across the wider Middle East.

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 U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro were on the scene of the shooting. The Metropolitan Police Department also revealed that a press conference would be held shortly to declare further revelations.