Two Israeli embassy staff killed and suspect in custody after Washington DC shooting

Two Israeli embassy staff have been shot dead leaving an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington DC, the BBC reported yesterday quoting officials.

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Sarah Lynn Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky were a couple and “in the prime of their lives” before they were killed, Israel's embassy in the US said.

The BBC dispatch said: The suspect has been detained and identified by police as 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez from Chicago.

Police said he shouted “free Palestine” after being taken into custody, and officers will “look into ties to potential terrorism”.

The Israeli Embassy in New Delhi has lowered its flag US President Trump said the attack is “so sad” and “based obviously on antisemitism”.

Benjamin Netanyahu said security will be increased at Israeli embassies worldwide, while Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said the shooting was a “direct result of toxic, antisemetic incitement against Israel and Jews around the world”.

Israeli embassies around the world have lowered their flags to half-mast in memory of the victims. This comes following an announcement by Israeli Foreign Minister, Gideon Sa’ar.

He has said that the shooting is a result of “toxic antisemitic incitement against Israel and Jews around the world” since the Hamas attack on Israel in 7 Oct. 2023.

At 21:08 local time (02:08 BST) on Wednesday, police received multiple calls about a shooting outside an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in downtown Washington DC.

A man and a woman were found unconscious and not breathing at the scene, and later died.