WASHINGTON, D.C. — A tragic shooting outside the Lillian & Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. has left two staff members from the Israeli Embassy dead, sending shockwaves through both American and Israeli communities. The victims, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, were attending a “Young Diplomats Reception” hosted by the American Jewish Committee when the attack occurred on the evening of May 21.
Lischinsky, an Israeli national and research assistant at the embassy, and Milgrim, an American working in public diplomacy, were both pronounced dead at the scene. The event was being held at a prominent location just blocks from the Capitol, intensifying concerns about diplomatic and religiously motivated violence in the United States.
Authorities have identified the suspect as 31-year-old Elias Rodriguez from Chicago. According to witnesses and law enforcement, Rodriguez approached the museum before opening fire, later shouting “Free, free Palestine” during his arrest by security personnel. Officials say Rodriguez had no known prior criminal history and had been observed pacing near the venue before the attack.
The FBI has labeled the incident as a targeted act of violence, and federal agents are now investigating potential ideological motives behind the shooting.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu swiftly condemned the killings, calling them a “cowardly antisemitic attack” and vowing to bolster security measures at Israeli diplomatic missions around the world. “This was not just an attack on Israelis,” Netanyahu stated, “but an attack on Jews and diplomacy itself.”
U.S. President Donald Trump also condemned the shooting, calling it a “vile and hateful act” and reaffirming his administration’s commitment to combating antisemitism in all its forms.
The Capital Jewish Museum, which had recently enhanced its security protocols, expressed deep sorrow over the incident and reaffirmed its mission of cultural understanding and community unity.
The attack has reignited urgent conversations about antisemitic violence, the safety of diplomatic staff, and political rhetoric around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Security has been heightened in D.C. and at Jewish and Israeli institutions across the country.