What began as a quiet evening honoring Jewish history in the heart of Washington, D.C. ended in horror when two Israeli embassy staffers were shot dead outside the Capital Jewish Museum.
The shocking attack, which unfolded just blocks from iconic U.S. landmarks and federal buildings, has sent ripples through diplomatic circles and ignited renewed concern over rising antisemitism in America.
Pacing back and forth
According to D.C. police, the young couple — both members of the Israeli diplomatic mission — had just left an event at the museum when they were ambushed by a lone gunman.
Witnesses say the suspect shouted “free, free Palestine” following the attack, a phrase that has now become central to the investigation into what officials believe was a targeted assault.
The shooting took place at 9:05 p.m. local time, in an area bustling with tourists and just steps from the FBI’s Washington field office. Authorities later identified the suspect as Elias Rodriguez, 30, of Chicago. Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith said Rodriguez had been pacing outside before opening fire on a group of four people, fatally striking the Israeli couple.
The suspect was initially ”observed pacing back and forth outside of the museum” before he approached a group of four people, ”produced a handgun,” and shot the two victims.
After the attack, Rodriguez reportedly entered the museum looking distressed, only to be intercepted by security.
“We don’t see anything in his background that would have placed him on our radar,” said Chief Smith. “We have not had any prior interactions with the suspect.”
The victims planned to get engaged
The victims had reportedly been planning to get engaged, a heartbreaking detail shared by Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter.
“The male victim had purchased a ring this week and had planned to propose on a trip they’d planned to Jerusalem,” Leiter revealed. The names of the victims have not yet been released.
Eyewitness Katie Kalisher recalled the terrifying moment the gunman entered the museum. “We heard gunshots and then a guy came in looking really distressed. We thought he needed help,” she told the BBC.
JoJo Kalin, a board member of the American Jewish Committee and one of the event organizers, said she didn’t witness the shooting but was left with a heavy emotional toll.
“I’m not going to lose my humanity over this or be deterred. And that Israelis and Palestinians both still deserve self-determination and [it is] just deeply ironic that that’s what we were discussing,” Kalin said.
What Trump says
Former President Donald Trump weighed in on Truth Social, suggesting the shooting was driven by hatred of Jews.
“These horrible D.C. killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW! Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA,” he wrote.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, who spoke at the news conference after the shooting, said she had personally responded to the scene earlier that evening.
“I spoke to the president of the United States multiple times tonight,” Bondi said. “On behalf of the president, his prayers are with all of us, all of the Jewish community, all of us in Washington, D.C.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio added on X, “We will track down those responsible and bring them to justice.”
Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon described the incident as a “depraved act of anti-Semitic terrorism.”
“Harming diplomats and the Jewish community is crossing a red line,” Danon posted. “We are confident that the US authorities will take strong action against those responsible for this criminal act.”
Lockdown in the area
The attack sparked an immediate lockdown in the area and a massive police response. Georgetown University’s D.C. campus also temporarily locked down, leaving students stranded in buildings.
“When we went to leave the cops and security were downstairs and told us we can’t leave,” one student told CBS, after being confined indoors for over an hour.
Israeli embassy spokesperson Tal Naim Cohen confirmed that the two victims were shot “at close range” and emphasized the embassy’s confidence in U.S. law enforcement.
The Capital Jewish Museum, like many other Jewish institutions in the U.S., had already been operating under heightened security amid growing antisemitic threats. Just days before the shooting, museum director Beatrice Gurwitz spoke to NBC News about these ongoing challenges.
“Jewish institutions all around town, all around the country, are concerned about security due to some very scary incidents that some institutions have faced and because of a climate of antisemitism,” Gurwitz said.
She also noted that the museum had recently received a grant to enhance its security measures, partly due to a new exhibit on LGBT pride.
“We recognize that there are threats associated with this as well,” Gurwitz explained. “And again, we want to ensure that our space is as welcoming and secure for everybody who comes here while we are exploring these stories.”
In a post to X, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee called the shooting “a horrific act of terror that the people of Israel are waking up to this morning.”
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