The suspect of the fatal shooting of two members of the Israeli embassy staff outside an event at the Jewish Capital Museum in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, shouted “free and free Palestine” after being arrested, “said DC police chief Pamela Smith.
A man and a woman, both members of the Israeli embassy staff, were shot dead when they left an event on Wednesday night, authorities said.
“Two members of the Israeli embassy staff were filmed tonight at a short distance while attending a Jewish event in the Jewish Capital Museum in Washington DC,” said the spokesman for the Israeli embassy in Washington, Tal Naim Cohen, in a statement on Wednesday night.
“We have full faith in the police authorities at the local and federal level to stop the shooter and protect the representatives of Israel and the Jewish communities throughout the United States,” the statement continued.
The suspect, identified as Elias Rodríguez, 30, from Chicago, was quickly arrested in the place and is being questioned by the police, said Smith.
After the shooting, Rodríguez tried to enter the building where the event was held and was arrested for the security of the event, said Smith.
Once in custody, he implied that he had committed the shooting and began to sing: “Palestine free, free,” said Smith.
He also explained where he had allegedly abandoned the weapon used in the shooting, which quickly recovered, according to the officials.
The DC Police is seen in the scene of a shooting on May 21, 2025.
WPLA
“There is no active threat,” said the mayor of DC, Muriel Bowser, during the press conference in the Metropolitan Police Department.
“I want to be clear that we will not tolerate this violence or hate in our city. We will not tolerate any act of terrorism, and we will join as a community in the next few days and weeks to send a clear message that we will not tolerate anti -Semitism.”
The emergency call centers began to receive calls around 9:08 PM informing a shooting in the area, said Smith.
When emergency responders arrived, the man and a woman were found on the scene, not breathing, he continued. At least one of the victims was first transported to a local hospital in critical condition, sources told ABC News.
The two victims had been leaving the event in the museum when the incident occurred, the authorities confirmed.
“The couple who was killed tonight was about to commit,” said Israeli ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter at the press conference. “The young man bought a ring this week with the intention of proposing next week in Jerusalem.”
He also shared that he had received a call from President Donald Trump on Wednesday night, promising the support of the United States to combat anti -Semitism.
Ted Deutch, CEO of the American Jewish committee, confirmed with ABC News that AJC had organized an event in the museum on Wednesday night, and added: “We are devastated that an indescribable act of violence took place out of the place. At this time, while we expect more police information exactly what it transpires, our attention and our hearts are alone with those who were harmful and their families.”
The incident took place near the FBI field office in DC, a FBI superior spokesman Posted in x that there was a presence of the office on the scene working together with the Metropolitan Police Department.
“FBI staff is on the scene working with MPD to answer. We will have a statement soon and share more information as we can,” Ben Williamson wrote.
The Attorney General of the United States, Pam Bondi, and the interim prosecutor of the United States of the district of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, went to the place shortly after the incident, Bondi said in a position on X.
“Praying for the victims of this violence while we work to learn more”, she wrote.
Danny Danon, the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, described the shooting in an “depraved act of anti -Semitic terrorism” in a Publish in x.
“Darmlar to diplomats and the Jewish community is crossing a red line,” he wrote.
Secretary of the United States National Security Department Kristi Noem He said in x“We are actively investigating and working for more information to share. Pray for the families of the victims. We will take this perpetrator depraved before justice.”
This is a development story. Consult the updates again.
