Attack on the couple took place outside an event at the Jewish Museum in Washington; American police reported that suspect shouted ‘Palestine free’ and was arrested at the scene
Two employees of the Embassy of nos They were shot dead in front of the Washington Jewish Museum on Wednesday night, an attack committed by a man who shouted ‘Palestine free’ when being detained, authorities said. “Two employees of the Israeli Embassy were meaningless tonight, near the Jewish Museum in Washington, DC,” United States Secretary of Internal Security, Kristi Noem, published on the social network.
US President Donald Trump condemned the “horrible murders,” motivated “obviously by anti -Semitism.” “Terrorism and hatred will not break us,” said Israel president Isaac Herzog, who declared himself “in shock” with the double murder. The attack took place on the sidewalk in front of the Jewish museum of the American capital, which had a programmed event for young professionals and diplomats. Police reported that the suspect entered the museum after the shots and was arrested at the scene.
“We believe the shooting has been committed by a single suspect, who is already detained,” Pamela Smith, Washington police chief Pamela Smith told press. “Before the shooting, the suspect was observed walking from side to side outside the museum. He approached a group of four people, pulled a gun and opened fire,” he added. Police identified him as 30 -year -old Rodríguez Elías from Chicago. According to Smith, when being detained and handcuffed, he shouted “Palestine free.”
The victims were a young couple who planned to get married soon, according to the Israeli ambassador in the United States, Yechiel Leiter. “The young man had bought an alliance this week to propose to his girlfriend next week in Jerusalem,” Leiter told the press. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel identified the victims as Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim.
Israel criticism of European countries
“These horrible murders in Washington, DC, obviously motivated by anti -Semitism, must end now!” Trump published on his social truth platform. “Hate and radicalism take place in the United States,” he added. The Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, promised that those responsible will be found. “We will lead them to justice,” he published on social network X, after he called a “blatant act of cowardly and anti -Semitic violence.”
In turn, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the strengthening of the security of his country’s diplomatic missions around the world and attributed the attack on “wild incitement to violence against the state of Israel.” The attack was also convicted by the governments of Germany, Spain, France and Italy. European Union Diplomacy Chief Kaja Kallas said she was “shocked” and said that “there can be no room in our societies for hatred, extremism or anti -Semitism.”
Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gideon Saar, criticized some that are very critical of the military campaign in Gaza, with the consequent frictions that the theme causes with the diplomacy of the Hebrew state. “There is a direct line between this murder and the anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli incitement. This incitement to hatred is also the work of leaders and authorities from many international countries and organizations, in particular in Europe,” the minister said.
In the center of Washington
Police officers responded to several calls that warned of a shooting near the museum around 9 pm (10 pm Brasilia), Smith said at a news conference. When the authorities arrived at the scene, they found a unconscious man and woman without breathing. Despite the efforts of rescuers to save their lives, the two were declared dead. The target of the attack was apparently an organized reception by the American Jewish Committee (AJC) for young professionals and diplomats accredited in Washington.
“American Jewish Committee confirms that he organized an event at the Washington Jewish Museum tonight,” the committee chairman Ted Deutch said in a statement. “We are devastated with an act of indescribable violence that occurred in front of the site.” “To hurt diplomats and the Jewish community is to cross a red line,” said Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, who called the attack “anti -Semitic terrorism.” The Jewish Museum is in the center of Washington, near the Capitol and a kilometer and a half of the White House.
*With information from AFP
