On Wednesday night, a fatal shooting outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC, killed two Israeli Embassy staff. The shooting, which Israeli officials have described as "a depraved act of anti-semitic terrorism," has been the subject of a full-scale investigation.
The suspect, Chicago's 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez, was taken into custody at the scene. Witnesses said he yelled "Free, free Palestine" as he was arrested by police.
The incident unfolded in close proximity to the FBI’s Washington Field Office in the city’s Northwest sector. U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem confirmed the fatalities in a post on X, noting that authorities at both the federal and local levels are collaborating to uncover the full context of the attack.
"Two Israeli Embassy employees were unnecessarily murdered tonight in Washington DC near the Jewish Museum. We are aggressively investigating and trying to obtain more information to share. Pray for the families of the victims. We will bring this despicable perpetrator to justice," Noem posted on X.
Though the victims' names are not yet public, local news says both were associated with the Israeli diplomatic mission in the U.S. The Israeli Embassy confirmed the tragic incident but made no other statement, only verifying that the ambassador was not present when the attack happened.
FBI Director Kash Patel said he received a briefing on the incident.
My staff and I have been informed of the shooting this evening in downtown DC near the Capital Jewish Museum and in the vicinity of our Washington Field Office. As we are cooperating with MPD to respond and find out more, in the meantime, please pray for the victims and their families. We will keep the public informed as we can," he tweeted.
Washington DC police reacted quickly after the shooting was reported. A police official confirmed that police closed off the area around the museum and are working to collect witness statements and monitor surveillance tapes.
Reports state that the Capital Jewish Museum, which officially opened at its present location in 2023, had a program hosted by the American Jewish Committee (AJC) that was ongoing at the time of the incident. In response, AJC CEO Ted Deutch made a statement of deep regret:
"We are devastated that an unspeakable act of violence took place outside the venue."
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro were reportedly present at the scene shortly following the attack. Bondi subsequently tweeted online that federal agencies are coordinating together to deal with the investigation and will report updates as information is available.
Israel's United Nations Ambassador Danny Danon also utilized X to condemn the attack as a "depraved act of anti-Semitic terrorism."
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