2025 killing of Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C. workers

2025 killing of Israeli Embassy workers
Police tape cordons off the museum following the shooting
LocationLillian & Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum, Washington, D.C., U.S.
DateMay 21, 2025; 2 days ago (May 21, 2025)
9:08 p.m. (EDT)
Weapon9mm handgun[1]
Deaths2
AccusedElias Rodriguez

At 9:08 p.m. on May 21, 2025, in Washington, D.C., a man armed with a handgun opened fire on a group of people outside of the Lillian & Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum, killing two staff members of the Embassy of Israel. The victims, a 30-year-old German-Israeli man named Yaron Lischinsky and a 26-year-old American woman named Sarah Milgrim, were a soon-to-be engaged couple who had been in attendance at a "Young Diplomats Reception" hosted by the American Jewish Committee prior to the shooting.

The assailant, a 31-year-old resident of Chicago named Elias Rodriguez, was apprehended by event security staff and yelled "Free, free Palestine!" as he was being arrested and taken into custody, with local police stating that the attack was being jointly investigated with the Federal Bureau of Investigation as an act of targeted violence.[2]

Background

See also: Gaza war and Israel–United States relations

The Capital Jewish Museum, which houses the original building of Adas Israel Congregation—the oldest existing synagogue in Washington, D.C., dedicated in 1876—is a Jewish cultural institution that opened approximately two years before the attack.[3][4] It is less than a mile from Capitol Hill and about 1.3 miles (2 km) from the White House.[5] Shortly before the incident, the museum received a grant intended to enhance security for local non-profit organizations.[3][4] Museum leaders expressed safety concerns due to the museum's Jewish subject matter and a new LGBTQ exhibit.[3]

The museum was the site of a conference hosted by the American Jewish Committee (AJC) for young professionals called "AJC ACCESS Young Diplomats Reception."[6][7] According to the invitation, the gathering aimed to bring together "Jewish young professionals and the D.C. diplomatic community for an evening dedicated to fostering unity and celebrating Jewish heritage."[2] JoJo Kalin, an AJC board member who organized the event, stated that it was centered on building a coalition to support Palestinians amid the ongoing war.[8][9] The AJC described the event as a cocktail reception for professionals and diplomats focused on humanitarian diplomacy throughout the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.[10][11]

Israeli diplomats and embassy staff have been targeted by violence linked to the longstanding Israeli–Palestinian conflict by both Palestinian militants and state-backed actors.[3] Additionally, since the October 7, 2023 attacks and start of the Gaza war there has been a sharp rise globally in antisemitism, along with violent incidents against Jews.[12] The Embassy of Israel in Washington, D.C., has been the site of several protests since the war began, including the self-immolation of Aaron Bushnell.[13]

Shooting

The exterior of the Capital Jewish Museum during daytime
The Capital Jewish Museum in 2024

According to Metropolitan Police Department chief Pamela Smith, the suspect arrested at the scene of the shooting had been pacing outside the Lillian & Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum before the killing.[7]

At approximately 9:08 pm on May 21, 2025,[14] the suspect opened fire with a handgun on four individuals, two of whom—Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim,[15] a couple and Israeli embassy aides—were fatally shot as they were leaving the museum.[6][7] Israeli government officials said that other embassy employees were injured in the shooting.[16][17]

According to Smith, after the shooting, the suspect walked into the museum and was stopped by security staff before being detained. He was let in by a security guard who thought he was an innocent bystander and a victim.[6][18] Eyewitnesses in the museum said that the suspect looked distressed and had initially been helped and given water[19][20] before he identified himself as the shooter, and asked for police. He was taken into custody.[21] Videos from witnesses showed the suspect chanting "Free Palestine" and "Free, Free, Palestine" as he was being detained. Reportedly, he discarded the weapon used in the shooting but later told the police where it was located; the police then recovered the weapon.[22]

Victims

The two victims, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, were a couple. Lischinsky was a German-Israeli staff member at the Israeli Embassy, working for around two years as a research assistant with responsibilities that included monitoring developments in the Middle East.[23][24] Lischinsky had a Christian mother and Jewish father. Milgrim, an American Jew, had close Palestinian and Israeli friends. She began working at the Israeli Embassy at the end of 2023, coordinating travel to Israel.[25] Friends and colleagues of Lischinsky and Milgrim said they were both devoted to diplomacy and the peace process in Israel.[25] The event they attended the night of the shooting was organized to discuss how "multi-faith organizations can work together to bring humanitarian aid to war-torn regions like Gaza."[25]

Lischinsky had moved from Nuremberg in Bavaria, Germany, to Israel at the age of 16 before relocating to Washington, D.C. to work for the Israeli Embassy.[26] He graduated from Hebrew University of Jerusalem with a degree in International Relations and Asian Studies.[25] Lischinsky had served in the Israel Defense Forces, according to Israel's ambassador to Germany Ron Prosor.[24] Milgrim, who grew up in Kansas, had been active in the Jewish community while in college at the University of Kansas. She had moved to Washington, D.C. to pursue a master's degree and volunteered in Israel for a year with Tech2Peace, an organization that advocated for peace and dialogue between Palestinians and Israelis.[25][27] Milgrim worked in the Israeli Embassy's public diplomacy department, responsible for community relations. The couple likely met through their embassy assignments.[23] According to Yechiel Leiter, the Israeli ambassador to the United States, the couple was planning to become engaged in Jerusalem the week following the event.[7]

Suspect

"Elias Rodriguez" redirects here. For Elias Rodriguez (disambiguation), see Elias Rodriguez (disambiguation).

Elias Rodriguez, a 30-year-old Chicago man, was arrested as the suspect after being apprehended by event security staff. He pulled out a red keffiyeh and chanted "Free, free Palestine!" as he was taken into custody.[14][19] Initial reports state that Rodriguez had no prior contact with police.[28][29]

Rodriguez was born and raised in Chicago and graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago with an English degree. He previously worked at the nonprofit healthcare American Osteopathic Information Association. He also previously worked as an oral history researcher at the HistoryMakers in 2023, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving African American histories. According to his deleted page from LinkedIn, he previously worked for other nonprofit firms.[30][31][32] The email address which he used to sign into the LinkedIn account was also used to register on Twitter. Variations of the same username were used on other social media sites, such as Clubhouse, which displayed Elias Rodriguez’s full name and face. His Goodreads account showed that he reviewed books on politics, slavery, the history of Chicago, and Maoism.[32]

Rodriguez was briefly (in 2017) associated with the Marxist political party Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL).[33] A 2017 article in their newspaper Liberation News described a speech by Rodriguez at an anti-Amazon protest and identified him as being "from the Party for Socialism and Liberation",[34][35] though in a statement after the shooting, the PSL stated that he was not a member, and that they had no contact with him for more than seven years.[30][36] A local news report from 2018 identified Rodriguez as a member of protest group ANSWER, an activist group affiliated with the PSL.[37]

The New York Times found pro-Palestinian signs in the window of a Chicago apartment occupied by Rodriguez, including one that said "Tikkun Olam means free Palestine".[35] Other political signs from his apartment were discovered, some facing the street below. One sign called for a ceasefire, and another said "Free Palestine!" in handwritten letters. A third sign said "Justice for Wadea", referring to a Wadea al-Fayoume, a boy who was stabbed by his family's landlord motivated by Anti-Palestinianism.[38] While speaking with media, Rodriguez's neighbor, a 71 year old man, said that the signs in the window were his.[whose?][39]

Alleged manifesto and Twitter account

Journalist Ken Klippenstein published Rodriguez's alleged manifesto "Escalate For Gaza, Bring The War Home" – signed, which was originally posted on Twitter at 10 pm, hours in advance of his name being revealed by either authorities or any media.[35][40]

The alleged manifesto was shared in two posts on Twitter during the night of the attack and discovered by the investigative group Gnasher Jew. The manifesto, which was dated May 20, praised Aaron Bushnell, a soldier who self-immolated near the Israeli embassy the previous year. It also condemned the number of Palestinians killed in the Gaza war and suggested that the amount might be higher. The manifesto stated: "We who let this happen will never deserve the Palestinians' forgiveness. They've let us know as much".[41] The manifesto called Israel a "genocidal apartheid state" and accused the American government of aiding it, stating that an "armed demonstration" against Israel is a "sane thing to do" for Americans. The manifesto claims that nonviolent protest has swayed public opinion but has not changed American policy. The manifesto also said that the Gaza war was the main motive behind the shooting and that his actions "would have been morally justified taken 11 years ago during Protective Edge", during which time he "personally became acutely aware of our brutal conduct in Palestine".[42][43] The end of the manifesto expressed love for the author's parents, sister, and family, before writing "Free Palestine".[44]

The Twitter account used to post the manifesto has existed since 2013, but made its first post in late October 2023, after the Hamas-led attack on Israel, including the hashtag "#FreePalestine".[35] In 2024, the account shared a video of nightclub attendees calling for Tel Aviv to be bombed, described Israel as a colony that had to be "totally extirpated" over a video of Israeli pundits defending the war, and that it would be moral to truck bomb the office of The New York Times.[35] Members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force are reportedly investigating the manifesto.[45][46]

Investigation

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the D.C. Metropolitan Police are investigating the killing.[47][48] The suspect was interviewed by FBI and Metropolitan Police shortly after the shooting and his apartment was searched by the FBI.[49][50] Police tape was seen placed on the entrance of the apartment complex in which the suspect lived and it was surrounded police and FBI agents.[51][52]

According to The Washington Post, authorities initially believed the suspect had specifically targeted the event at the museum, but had not singled out any single individual before arriving at the scene.[47] Steven J. Jensen, an assistant director of FBI in Washington, said that the shooting will be investigated as a possible hate crime.[50]

Reactions

Domestic

The attack was described by Michael D. Shear in The New York Times as "an extreme example of what law enforcement officials and others call a global surge in antisemitic incidents" that emerged after the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel.[53]

U.S. President Donald Trump condemned the acts via a post on Truth Social shortly after the shooting, stating: "These horrible DC killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW!". He added that "Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA."[6][3]

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem[47] and United States Attorney General Pam Bondi vowed to prosecute the suspect.[54]

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer denounced the killings, as did Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.[6] Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Mike Johnson also condemned the shooting, calling it a "horrific attack, obviously an antisemitic attack".[55]

New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani wrote that he was "horrified" by the shooting and condemned antisemitism, as did Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib, all three harsh critics of Israel.[56]

Journalist Mehdi Hasan, a frequent critic of Israeli actions, condemned the attack.[57]

International

Israeli ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon called the killings "anti-Semitic terrorism".[6] Israeli President Isaac Herzog wrote that Israel and the U.S. "will stand united in defense of our people and our shared values. Terror and hate will not break us."[29][58] Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the attack.[59] He said that he ordered strengthened security at Israeli embassies worldwide.[60] Some of Netanyahu's cabinet ministers blamed Israeli critics of the Gaza war for inciting the attack.[61] Other nations and groups to condemn the killings included the European Union,[62] France,[63] Germany,[64] India,[65] Italy,[66] the United Arab Emirates,[67] and the United Kingdom.[68]

See also

References

  1. ^ "What we know about Israeli embassy staff shooting". BBC News. May 22, 2025. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Two Israeli Embassy Staffers Killed in Shooting Near Jewish Museum in Washington". The Wall Street Journal. May 21, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e Sweedler, Maya (May 22, 2025). "2 staff members of Israeli embassy killed in shooting near Jewish museum in DC". AP News. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  4. ^ a b Segraves, Mark (May 20, 2025). "Capital Jewish Museum receives DC security grant amid concerns about LGBTQ exhibit". NBC4 Washington. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  5. ^ "Washington DC shooting live updates: Two Israeli embassy staff killed and suspect in custody". BBC News. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Haberman, Maggie; Thrush, Glenn; Cameron, Chris (May 21, 2025). "Two Israeli Embassy Staffers Shot and Killed Outside Event in Washington, Officials Say". The New York Times. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  7. ^ a b c d Gurman, Sadie; McGraw, Meridith; Beavers, Olivia (May 21, 2025). "Two Israeli Embassy Staffers Killed in Shooting Near Jewish Museum in Washington". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  8. ^ "Washington DC shooting: Two Israeli embassy staff killed in attack near Jewish museum". BBC News. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  9. ^ Zemler, Emily (May 22, 2025). "Two Israeli Embassy Staffers Shot and Killed Outside Jewish Museum in D.C." Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  10. ^ Sales, Ben (May 22, 2025). "2 Israeli embassy staffers shot to death outside DC Jewish museum event". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  11. ^ "AJC ACCESS Young Diplomats Reception". Eventbrite. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  12. ^ "Why the Gaza War Has Sparked a Wave of Antisemitism and Islamophobia in the US". Voice of America. November 17, 2023. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  13. ^ Markoe, Lauren (March 28, 2024). "'Until a ceasefire': Nonstop protest rocks the Israeli Embassy — and the neighborhood beyond". The Forward. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  14. ^ a b Frazier, Kierra; Milton, Pat; Triay, Andres; Tanyos, Faris (May 22, 2025). "2 Israeli Embassy staff shot and killed outside Jewish Museum in D.C." CBS News.
  15. ^ Bachner, Michael. "Victims of DC shooting are Israeli Embassy workers Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim". The Times of Israel. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  16. ^ Hamblin, Andrea; Confino, Jotam (May 22, 2025). "Starmer blamed for 'emboldening' anti-Semitic attackers". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  17. ^ Gedeon, Joseph; Tondo, Lorenzo (May 22, 2025). "Two Israeli embassy staff shot dead near Washington DC Jewish museum". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  18. ^ Bunn, Curtis (May 22, 2025). "Israeli Embassy event organizer said she looked 'evil in the eyes' after interacting with shooting suspect". NBC News.
  19. ^ a b "2 staff members of Israeli embassy killed in shooting near Jewish museum in DC; suspect from Chicago". Chicago Sun-Times. Associated Press. May 22, 2025. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  20. ^ "Two Israeli embassy staff killed by man chanting 'free Palestine' - police". BBC News. May 22, 2025. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  21. ^ Keene, Louis (May 22, 2025). "2 killed in Capital Jewish Museum shooting by suspect who shouted 'Free Palestine,' police say". The Forward. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  22. ^ Breen, Kerry (May 22, 2025). "Victims of fatal shooting at Jewish Museum in D.C. identified as young couple "in the prime of their lives"". CBS News.
  23. ^ a b אייכנר, איתמר (May 22, 2025). "דיפלומטים ישראלים ב"הלם מוחלט", זעזוע בעולם: "פשע אנטישמי מחריד"". Ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  24. ^ a b "What we know about Israeli embassy staff shooting in Washington DC". www.bbc.com. May 22, 2025. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  25. ^ a b c d e Herb, Jeremy; Liebermann, Oren; Kent, Lauren; Marquardt, Alex (May 22, 2025). "They came from thousands of miles apart to DC and found love. Then tragedy struck". CNN. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  26. ^ "Shooting victim Yaron Lischinsky had a German passport". NBC News. May 22, 2025. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  27. ^ Smith, David; Gambino, Lauren (May 22, 2025). "Suspect charged with murder in shooting of Israeli embassy staffers". The Guardian. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  28. ^ Ward, Jasper; Ward, Jasper (May 22, 2025). "Two Israeli embassy staffers killed in Washington shooting, suspect held". Reuters. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  29. ^ a b Blackburn, Alex Marquardt, Gabe Cohen, Holmes Lybrand, Kaanita Iyer, Piper Hudspeth (May 22, 2025). "Two Israeli Embassy staff members killed outside Jewish museum in Washington, DC". CNN. Retrieved May 22, 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  30. ^ a b Ward, Jasper; Rose, Emily; Ward, Jasper (May 22, 2025). "Two Israel embassy aides shot dead in Washington, officials say suspect shouted 'Free Palestine'". Reuters.
  31. ^ "Who is Elias Rodriguez? Sole suspect in DC Jewish Museum shooting that killed 2 Israeli embassy staffers". Financial Express News. May 22, 2025.
  32. ^ a b Bosman, Julie (May 22, 2025). "Suspect in Shooting of Israeli Embassy Staff in Washington, D.C., Had Protested for Palestinian Rights". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331.
  33. ^ "DC shooting suspect Elias Rodriguez was member of far-left group". The Times of Israel. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  34. ^ Humana, Vex (October 26, 2017). "Chicago demands justice for Laquan, not money for Amazon". Liberation News. Archived from the original on October 26, 2017. Retrieved May 22, 2025. "Elias Rodriguez from the Party for Socialism and Liberation...."
  35. ^ a b c d e Rosenfeld, Arno (May 22, 2025). "Manifesto posted on social media account tied to suspected Jewish museum shooter, who called to 'bring the war home'". Forward. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  36. ^ "Elias Rodriguez: Socialist party denies links to D.C. shooting suspect". The Independent. May 22, 2025. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  37. ^ Ward, Jasper; Rose, Emily; Ward, Jasper (May 22, 2025). "FBI examines writings linked to suspect in killing of two Israel embassy aides". Reuters.
  38. ^ Lonsdorf, Kat (May 22, 2025). "Here's what we know about the 2 Israeli embassy staffers killed in Washington, D.C." NPR News.
  39. ^ 2 Israeli embassy staff members killed: Suspect's neighbor speaks to media (Video). FOX News. May 22, 2025. Event occurs at 5:50.
  40. ^ "Lengthy online statement appears to be manifesto by DC shooting suspect". The Times of Israel. May 22, 2025. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  41. ^ Prinsley, Jane (May 22, 2025). "Elias Rodriguez manifesto: Suspect in Israeli embassy shooting called killing 'the only sane thing to do'". The Jewish Chronicle.
  42. ^ "Alleged shooter of Israeli embassy staff leaves behind 'manifesto'". Middle East Eye. May 22, 2025.
  43. ^ Bar, Neta (April 2, 2025). "DC shooter manifesto revealed". Israel Hayom.
  44. ^ Joudeh, Nina (May 22, 2025). "DC police investigate online 'manifesto' linked to Israeli Embassy shooting". Irish Star.
  45. ^ Weiniger, Gabrielle (May 22, 2025). "Washington DC shooting: Israeli embassy staff killed outside Jewish museum". The Times.
  46. ^ "Purported manifesto of DC shooting suspect appears online". The Times of Israel. May 22, 2025.
  47. ^ a b c Jeong, Andrew (May 22, 2025). "Two Israeli Embassy staff killed near Capital Jewish Museum in D.C." The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  48. ^ Miller, Myles; Harney, John (May 21, 2025). "Two Israeli Embassy Staffers Killed in Washington Shooting". Bloomberg News. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  49. ^ "What we know about the DC shooting where 2 staff members of the Israeli Embassy were killed". AP News. May 22, 2025.
  50. ^ a b Hedgpeth, Dana; Davies, Emily; Brady, Kate; Bellware, Kim; Rosenzweig-Ziff, Dan; Hilton, Jasmine; Bisset, Victoria; Rubin, Shira; Soroka, Lior (May 22, 2025). "D.C. Jewish Museum shooting shows signs of 'targeted violence'". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286.
  51. ^ Tellez, Roseanne (May 22, 2025). "Feds raid Chicago home of suspect in deadly shooting of Israeli Embassy staffers". FOX 32 Chicago.
  52. ^ "FBI surrounds Chicago home of suspected gunman behind Jewish Museum shooting in D.C." NBC Chicago. May 22, 2025.
  53. ^ Shear, Michael D. (May 22, 2025). "Shooting Outside D.C. Jewish Museum Is Part of Global Surge in Antisemitism". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  54. ^ Jeyaretnam, Miranda (May 22, 2025). "Breaking: Israeli Embassy Staff Killed in D.C. Shooting". Time. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  55. ^ "House Speaker Mike Johnson condemns attack as 'horrific'". NBC News. May 22, 2025. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  56. ^ Sales, Ben (May 22, 2025). "'More Elias': These people are celebrating the Capital Jewish Museum shooting". The Forward. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  57. ^ a b Beauchamp, Zack (May 22, 2025). "Two terrible truths about the antisemitic murders in DC". Vox. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  58. ^ "2 Israeli embassy staffers killed near D.C. Jewish museum; suspect in custody". WPTV News Channel 5 West Palm. May 22, 2025. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  59. ^ "Israeli leader Netanyahu's office says he is 'shocked' by the DC shooting of embassy staffers". NBC4 Washington. May 22, 2025. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  60. ^ Falconer, Rebecca; Ravid, Barak (May 22, 2025). "2 Israeli Embassy staff killed in shooting near Capital Jewish Museum in D.C., officials say". Axios. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  61. ^ "Israeli ministers: Golan's 'baby killers' remark led to DC attack". JNS.org. May 22, 2025. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  62. ^ "EU top diplomat 'shocked' by Washington Jewish museum shooting". The Times of Israel.
  63. ^ "France Condemns 'Abhorrent Act Of Anti-Semitic Barbarity' In Washington". Barron's. Agence France-Presse. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  64. ^ "Germany's Merz 'Strongly Condemns' 'Despicable' Washington Shooting". barrons. Agence France-Presse. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  65. ^ "Jaishankar Condemns Killing Of Israeli Diplomats In Washington, Expresses Solidarity With Israel". DD News. May 22, 2025. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  66. ^ "Italy Condemns 'Scenes Of Terror And Violence' In Washington". Barron's. Agence France-Presse. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  67. ^ "UAE 'strongly condemns' shooting of Israeli embassy staff in Washington". The Times of Israel. May 22, 2025.
  68. ^ "Lammy condemns 'appalling' killing of Israeli embassy staff in Washington". The Weekly Standard.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2025_killing_of_Israeli_Embassy_in_Washington,_D.C._workers&oldid=1291755001"