The Lillian and Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum in Washington DC has described an attack outside the institution in which two Israeli embassy staff members were fatally shot as an “act of horrific antisemitic violence”.
The attack happened on 21 May during an evening event at the museum organised by the advocacy group American Jewish Committee.
The victims have been named as Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, a young couple who worked together at the Israeli embassy and were planning their engagement, according to reports.
The suspected gunman has been identified as 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez from Chicago. He has been taken into police custody.
The gunman was reportedly observed pacing backwards and forwards in front of the museum before the shooting. After the attack, he entered the museum and was apprehended by an event security guard.
Police said Rodriguez shouted “free, free Palestine” as he was being taken into custody. According to reports, a letter signed with Rodriguez's name and dated 20 May criticised Israel's “atrocities” in Gaza and the US government's position.
The Capital Jewish Museum, which explores the history of Jewish life in Washington DC, is closed until further notice while additional security is put in place.
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In a statement on 22 May, Beatrice Gurwitz, executive director of the Capital Jewish Museum, and the museum's board of directors, said: “We are heartbroken by the murders of Yaron Lishinsky and Sarah Milgrim, and send our sincere condolences to their families and friends. May they, and all who grieve this devastating loss, be comforted by their communities.
“In an act of horrific antisemitic violence, a gunman attacked our beloved community. This tragedy is devastating. Such acts of terror attempt to instill fear, silence voices, and erase history—but we refuse to let them succeed.
“The Capital Jewish Museum was built to tell the centuries-old story of the greater Washington region’s vibrant Jewish community. We are proud to tell these stories of Jewish life. In our work, we share Jewish stories in the service of building bridges and opening dialogue in our beautiful city.
“We are working to re-open the museum in the coming days, with all necessary security in place, so we can return to telling the story of Jewish Washington for thousands of visitors from around the world.”
In a further statement, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum said it was “outraged at the horrific antisemitic terrorist attack outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington DC that claimed the lives of two young staff members of the Israeli Embassy”.
“Two young lives were tragically cut short while attending an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee for young Jewish professionals to discuss the importance of humanitarian service. This is an outrageous assault on the Jewish State and Jewish people everywhere,” said the museum’s chairman Stuart E Eizenstat.
“Inciteful antisemitic rhetoric is a growing and increasingly deadly danger to Jews and societies worldwide. It must be forcibly and universally condemned. Our thoughts are with the victims’ families and colleagues at this time of great loss.”
The Capital Jewish Museum opened in June 2023 and is one of the US capital's newest museums. The institution is housed in two buildings, a historic synagogue built in 1876 and a modern addition.
