Two Israeli embassy staffers were shot dead late Wednesday outside a Jewish museum in Washington by a gunman who shouted “free Palestine,” authorities said, with US, Israeli and other world leaders expressing outrage over the killings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
President Donald Trump condemned the attack in the heart of the US capital, saying: “These horrible D.C. killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA,” he said on social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shots rang out on the sidewalk outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington as the venue held a social event for young professionals and diplomatic staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The victims were a young couple who planned to get married, the Israeli ambassador said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Israel\u2019s foreign ministry identified the victims as Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lischinsky was a research assistant at the Israeli embassy, while Milgrim worked for its public diplomacy department, according to their LinkedIn profiles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A video clip circulating on social media after the attack showed a bearded young man in a jacket and white shirt shouting “free, free Palestine” as he was led away by police.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Police confirmed the suspected shooter walked into the museum after the attack and had been detained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The shooting was committed by a single suspect who is now in custody,” Washington Police Chief Pamela Smith told reporters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Prior to the shooting, the suspect was observed pacing back and forth outside of the museum. He approached a group of four people, produced a handgun and opened fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“After the shooting, the suspect then entered the museum and was detained by event security.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She said the handcuffed man — whom she identified as Elias Rodriguez, 30, from Chicago — told them where he had discarded the gun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We are witnessing the terrible price of antisemitism and the wild incitement against the State of Israel,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement, announcing extra security arrangements at Israeli missions around the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Blood libels against Israel are paid in blood — and they must be fought relentlessly,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“My heart aches for the families of the beloved young man and woman, whose lives were abruptly cut short by a despicable antisemitic murderer.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Britain, France and Germany were among those who joined in condemning the shooting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The targeted event was an annual reception hosted by the American Jewish Committee (AJC) for young Jewish professionals and the Washington diplomatic community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The evening was “dedicated to fostering unity and celebrating Jewish heritage,” with an invitation to the event saying the location would be “shared upon registration.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We are devastated that two cherished friends and partners from the Israeli embassy were shot and killed as they left an American Jewish Committee event,” AJC CEO Ted Deutch said in a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“It strongly appears that this was an attack motivated by hate against the Jewish people and the Jewish state. This senseless hate and violence must stop.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The museum is in downtown Washington, close to the US Capitol and just over a mile (1.6 kilometers) from the White House.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Police Chief Smith said officers responded to multiple calls about a shooting near the museum at around 9:00 pm on Wednesday (0100 GMT Thursday).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First responders found a man and a woman unconscious and not breathing. Despite life-saving efforts, both were pronounced dead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Israel\u2019s Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter told reporters the young staffers were a couple about to get engaged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The young man purchased a ring this week with the intention of proposing to his girlfriend next week in Jerusalem,” Leiter said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“They were a beautiful couple.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said he spoke to Trump by telephone, with the president assuring him that the United States would “do everything it can possibly do to fight and end anti-Semitism.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We\u2019ll stand together tall and firm, and we will confront this moral depravity without fear and with determination,” Leiter said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Emergency vehicles remained at the scene in the early hours of Thursday after police taped off the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We\u2019re going to stand together as a community in the coming days and weeks to send the clear message that we will not tolerate anti-Semitism,” Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser told reporters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The horrific incident is going to frighten a lot of people in our city, and in our country. I want to be clear that we will not tolerate this violence or hate.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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