Embassy Staffers Gunned Down by Aggravated Activist

In a chilling act of antisemitic violence, two staff members of the Israeli Embassy were gunned down Wednesday night outside the Capital Jewish Museum.

The victims, a young couple who were planning to get engaged in Jerusalem the following week, were leaving a Jewish professional event when they were ambushed by a lone gunman.

The suspect, identified as 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez of Chicago, was apprehended at the scene.

According to D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith, Rodriguez had been pacing outside the museum before opening fire on a group of four individuals.

After the shooting, he entered the museum and was detained by security.

During his arrest, Rodriguez shouted “Free, free Palestine,” indicating a possible political or ideological motive.

The victims, both staffers at the Israeli Embassy, were attending an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee at the Capital Jewish Museum.

The museum, located near the FBI’s Washington Field Office, had previously expressed concerns about security.

Global Leaders Condemn the Attack

The brutal murders have drawn swift condemnation from leaders around the world.

President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social: “These horrible D.C. killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW! Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA. Condolences to the families of the victims.”

Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon labeled the incident a “depraved act of anti-Semitic terrorism,” stating, “Harming the Jewish community is crossing a red line.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced increased security measures at Israeli missions worldwide in response to the attack.

Law enforcement officials are treating the shooting as a targeted hate crime.

The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is involved in the investigation, and authorities have pledged to prosecute the suspect to the fullest extent of the law.

This attack comes amid a troubling rise in antisemitic incidents across the United States and globally.

Jewish communities have increasingly become targets of hate-fueled violence, often under the guise of political activism.