Two Israeli Embassy staff members were gunned down outside a Washington, D.C. museum after an event. A suspect is in custody.

Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim were a couple who worked for the embassy, The Associated Press reported. Lischinsky was a research assistant while Milgri organized visits and missions to Israel.

They had been at an event at the Capital Jewish Museum for young professionals hosted by the American Jewish Committee, according to CNN. About 50 people were at the event to discuss how to bring humanitarian aid to areas such as Gaza.

They were leaving when a man approached them and opened fire. The man, identified as Elias Rodriguez, turned himself in to police and was taken into custody.

While being arrested, he shouted “Free, free Palestine,” CNN reported.

Witnesses said they heard the shots and a man came into the museum looking upset. People tried to help him, bringing him water, not realizing it was the alleged gunman, Rodriguez, CNN reported.

It is not known why he entered the museum after the shooting and officials had not identified him as a potential threat before the incident, The New York Times reported.

He was being interviewed by the DC Metropolitan Police and the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.

Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith said that there was no ongoing threat to the community, according to the AP.

Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino said it appears to be a targeted attack.

Lischinsky had recently bought a ring, intending to ask Milgrim to marry him, Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter said. Lischinsky was going to propose in Jerusalem next week, The New York Times reported.

Recently, the museum, which is only about two years old, was awarded a $30,000 grant to increase security. The museum’s officials said they were worried about security because it is a Jewish organization and because of a new, temporary LGBTQ exhibit, WRC reported.

“Jewish institutions all around town, all around the country, are concerned about security due to some very scary incidents that some institutions have faced and because of a climate of antisemitism,” Executive Director Beatrice Gurwitz told WRC last week. “So, we invest a lot of money in security to make sure that we can keep our doors open to the broad public, that this is a welcoming space, but that people are also safe in this space.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was “outraged” at the killings and has ordered stronger security for Israeli diplomatic missions globally, the Times reported.

Israel started a military offensive after a Hamas-led attack on their country on Oct. 7, 2023. There have been pro-Palestinian protests at Israeli embassies, including the embassy in Washington, and colleges across the U.S.

©2024 Cox Media Group