Yaron Lischinsky, an Israeli Embassy employee in the US, and his girlfriend Sarah Milgrim have been named as the victims of a Thursday night shooting attack in Washington, DC.
Lischinsky had bought an engagement ring and planned to propose next week.
The embassy released a statement saying: “Yaron and Sarah were our friends. They were in the prime of their lives. This evening, a terrorist shot and killed them as they left an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington. The entire embassy staff is heartbroken and devastated by the murder. There are no words to express the depth of our sorrow and horror at this terrible loss. Our hearts are with their families, and the embassy will stand by them during this horrific time.”
The terrorist has been identified as 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez from Chicago; he is now in police custody, and it is believed that he acted alone.
Eyewitnesses said Rodriguez shouted "Free Palestine" before carrying out the attack.
Eyewitness Sara Marinuzzi told CNN that the shooter "pretended to be a witness," asked security to call the police, and waited over 10 minutes for police to arrive. When they arrived, he admitted to the crime, telling police, "I did it, I did it for Gaza. Free Palestine!"
"There were some more shots and then a guy came running into the center, and the security guards offered him water, trying to comfort him. He was kind of having erratic behavior. They figured he witnessed the shooting," she explained.
US President Donald Trump responded to the murder 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.So sad that such things as this can happen! God Bless You ALL!"
“The fatal shooting that took place outside the event that took place at the Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. – in which Israeli embassy employees were also injured – is a depraved act of antisemitic terrorism,” he said.