Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky.
A Night Meant for Celebration Ends in Tragedy Outside D.C. Museum
A joyful night in the heart of Washington, D.C. took a devastating turn on Wednesday when two young Israeli Embassy staffers were shot and killed just steps from the Capital Jewish Museum.
The victims—Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky—were a couple deeply in love and on the verge of getting engaged, according to officials. Yaron had even bought a ring and planned to propose next week in Jerusalem. But instead of planning a future together, their loved ones are now mourning a heartbreaking loss.
It all happened around 9:08 p.m. on May 21. Police rushed to the corner of 3rd Street and F Street NW after several 911 calls about a shooting near the museum. Officers found both Sarah and Yaron on the ground—unconscious, not breathing. Despite every effort to save them, they died at the scene.
Washington D.C.’s Police Chief Pamela Smith shared the grim details during a press conference. She said the victims had just left an event at the Capital Jewish Museum when a man—who had been seen pacing nearby—walked up to a group of four people, pulled out a handgun, and opened fire.
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“He approached them without warning,” Smith said. “And then, just like that, two lives were taken.”
The suspect didn’t get far. After the shooting, he reportedly walked into the museum, where event security detained him until police arrived. Officers say the man later led them to where he had tossed the weapon and allegedly admitted to the crime.
According to police, the shooter is 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez from Chicago. While in custody, he was heard shouting “Free, Free Palestine,” which has raised concerns about the motive behind the attack.
Israeli officials confirmed the couple were aides working at their embassy in the U.S. In a statement posted to X (formerly Twitter), the embassy wrote: “No words can express the depth of our grief and horror at this devastating loss. The entire embassy staff is heartbroken and devastated by their murder.”
Yechiel Leiter, Israel’s ambassador to the U.S., spoke emotionally about the couple during the press briefing. “They were a beautiful couple who came to enjoy an evening in Washington’s cultural center,” he said. “Now, their lives have been stolen in an act of hate.”
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Reactions poured in across social media. Former President Donald Trump called the incident “obviously based on antisemitism” in a post on Truth Social, adding, “Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA.” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem echoed similar heartbreak, writing on X, “Please pray for the families of the victims.”
As the investigation continues, many are left reeling from what happened—a senseless act that turned a night of culture and community into a scene of horror.
The Metropolitan Police Department continues to gather details, and officials have confirmed that the suspect is in custody.
