Jamaine Punzalan

A man draped in the Israeli flag, bearing a cross and the name "Jesus" at its center, gestures as Metropolitan Police officers secure the area outside the Capital Jewish Museum following a shooting that left two people dead in Washington, DC, in the early hours of May 22, 2025. Two Israeli embassy staffers were shot dead late Wednesday, May 21, outside a Jewish museum in Washington by a gunman who shouted "free Palestine," authorities said, with US officials and Israeli diplomats expressing shock and outrage over the killings. Alex Wroblewski, AFP

Article (news)

Agence France-Presse

<div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1747898723877AFP__20250522__47NE7XR__v3__Preview__UsIsraelMuseumShooting.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">A man draped in the Israeli flag, bearing a cross and the name &quot;Jesus&quot; at its center, gestures as Metropolitan Police officers secure the area outside the Capital Jewish Museum following a shooting that left two people dead in Washington, DC, in the early hours of May 22, 2025. Two Israeli embassy staffers were shot dead late Wednesday, May 21, outside a Jewish museum in Washington by a gunman who shouted &quot;free Palestine,&quot; authorities said, with US officials and Israeli diplomats expressing shock and outrage over the killings. Alex Wroblewski, AFP</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>Two Israeli embassy staffers were shot dead late Wednesday outside a Jewish museum in Washington by a gunman who shouted &quot;free Palestine,&quot; authorities said, with US and Israeli leaders expressing outrage over the killings.</p><p>President Donald Trump condemned the attack in the heart of the US capital, saying &quot;These horrible D.C. killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW!&quot;</p><p>&quot;Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA,&quot; he added on social media.</p><p>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><p>The victims were a young couple who planned to get married, the Israeli ambassador said.</p><p>A video clip circulating on social media showed a young bearded man in a jacket and white shirt shouting &quot;free, free Palestine&quot; as he was led away by police.</p><p>Police confirmed the suspected shooter walked into the museum after the attack and had been detained.</p><p>&quot;The shooting was committed by a single suspect who is now in custody,&quot; Washington Police Chief Pamela Smith told reporters.</p><p>&quot;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><p>&quot;After the shooting, the suspect then entered the museum and was detained by event security.&quot;</p><p>She said the handcuffed man -- whom she named as Elias Rodriguez, 30, from Chicago -- identified where he had discarded the gun.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;DESPICABLE ANTISEMITIC MURDERER&#x27; </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>&quot;We are witnessing the terrible price of antisemitism and the wild incitement against the State of Israel,&quot; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement, announcing extra security arrangements at Israeli missions around the world.</p><p>&quot;Blood libels against Israel are paid in blood -- and they must be fought relentlessly,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;My heart aches for the families of the beloved young man and woman, whose lives were abruptly cut short by a despicable antisemitic murderer.&quot;</p><p>The targeted event was an annual reception hosted by the American Jewish Committee (AJC) for young Jewish professionals and the Washington diplomatic community.</p><p>The evening was &quot;dedicated to fostering unity and celebrating Jewish heritage,&quot; with an invitation to the event saying the location would be &quot;shared upon registration.&quot;</p><p>&quot;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,&quot; AJC CEO Ted Deutch said in a statement.</p><p>&quot;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.&quot;</p><p>The museum is in downtown Washington, close to the US Capitol and just over one mile (1.6 kilometers) from the White House.</p><p>Police Chief Smith said officers responded to multiple calls of a shooting near the museum at around 9:00 pm on Wednesday (0100 GMT Thursday).</p><p>First responders found a man and a woman unconscious and not breathing. Despite life-saving efforts, both were pronounced dead.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>YOUNG COUPLE</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Israel&#x27;s Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter told reporters the young staffers were a couple about to get engaged.</p><p>&quot;The young man purchased a ring this week with the intention of proposing to his girlfriend next week in Jerusalem,&quot; Leiter said.</p><p>&quot;They were a beautiful couple&quot;.</p><p>He added that he spoke to Trump by telephone, with the president assuring him that the United States will &quot;do everything it can possibly do to fight and end anti-Semitism.&quot;</p><p>&quot;We&#x27;ll stand together tall and firm, and we will confront this moral depravity without fear and with determination,&quot; Leiter said.</p><p>Emergency vehicles remained at the scene in the early hours of Thursday after police taped off the area.</p><p>&quot;We&#x27;re 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,&quot; Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser told reporters.</p><p>&quot;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.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/5/21/israeli-warning-fire-at-diplomats-sparks-outcry-amid-gaza-pressure-0156">Israeli &#x27;warning&#x27; fire at diplomats sparks outcry amid Gaza pressure</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/5/18/israel-says-open-to-deal-that-includes-ending-the-fighting-in-gaza-2212">Israel says open to deal that includes &#x27;ending the fighting&#x27; in Gaza</a></div>

<p>Two Israeli embassy staffers were shot dead outside a Jewish museum in Washington by a gunman who shouted "free Palestine," authorities said, with US and Israeli leaders expressing outrage over the killings.</p>

Two Israeli embassy staffers were shot dead outside a Jewish museum in Washington by a gunman who shouted "free Palestine," authorities said, with US and Israeli leaders expressing outrage over the killings.

Two Israeli embassy staff shot dead outside Jewish museum in Washington

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Two Israeli embassy staff shot dead outside Jewish museum in Washington

Agence France-Presse

Published May 22, 2025 03:27 PM PHT

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