Two Israeli Embassy Staffers Killed by Gunman Yelling “Free Palestine”
Two members of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., were murdered shortly after 9:00 p.m. last night when a gunman breached an event at the Capitol Jewish Museum and opened fire.
The victims, Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Milgram, 27, met while working at the Israeli Embassy. They were in a committed relationship and had planned a trip to Israel to meet Lischinsky’s family—a step he intended to take before proposing.
According to one source, Lischinsky “purchased a ring this week with the intention of proposing to his girlfriend next week in Jerusalem.”
The two were described as inseparable. Their tragic deaths came at the hands of Elias Rodriguez, 30, who is believed to be from Chicago, Illinois. Police observed him pacing outside the building before the incident. After his arrest, he was heard chanting “Free, free Palestine” at the police station.
That may offer a motive, considering the couple was Jewish, but it remains unclear whether Rodriguez targeted them specifically or simply sought out any victims. Fortunately, museum security detained him before he could continue his rampage, and he was handed over to police.
He reportedly had no prior criminal record.
The suspect, identified by Physicians Against Antisemitism (PAA)—a nonprofit dedicated to exposing antisemitism in healthcare—had been employed by the American Osteopathic Information Association (AOIA), which supports doctors of osteopathy. He had worked there for 11 months before the shooting.
In an interview, PAA warned that antisemitic individuals within healthcare can pose a danger to Jewish patients.
“Antisemitism has not only infiltrated the medical field at the clinical level, but also at the administrative level. Though we do not know the exact role Elias Rodriguez played within the AOIA, he worked for an organization meant to support physicians,” a PAA spokeswoman said.
“With an ideology steeped in hatred of Jews, his access to physician information put many of our medical colleagues at risk,” she added.
“We were shocked and saddened to learn that an AOIA employee has been arrested as a suspect in this horrific crime,” said American Osteopathic Association President Teresa A. Hubka and CEO Kathleen S. Creason in a joint statement.
“As a physician organization dedicated to protecting the health and sanctity of human life, we believe in the rights of all persons to live safely without fear of violence.”
Rodriguez, upon being detained by museum security, appeared to admit to the murders. He cooperated with authorities and directed them to the firearm used, which was recovered as evidence.
Two witnesses, Yoni Kalin and Katie Kalisher, told the Associated Press they were inside the museum the night of May 21.
They described a man entering the museum looking distressed and disheveled. Kalin said some guests believed he needed help and brought him water. But soon after, the man pulled out a red keffiyeh, shouted “Free Palestine,” and began shooting, Kalin told the AP.
Rodriguez is now in police custody. He is expected to appear in federal court this afternoon. It remains unclear whether he has legal representation. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that the shooter “will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“No parents should have to be called and told that their children were violently murdered leaving a religious event at the Jewish Museum,” Bondi said.
“That should never happen in this world—and not in our country.”
Statements honoring Milgram and Lischinsky have poured in from friends and colleagues.
“Sarah was a deeply curious person, always seeking to learn and connect. She brought people together with empathy and purpose, and her dedication to building a better future was evident in everything she did,” said Tech2Peace’s Esti Rozenfeld.
“Her voice and spirit will be profoundly missed.”
Friends of Lischinsky also described how special he was.
“We would sit in various coffee shops around Jerusalem, discussing religion, politics, and books,” said his friend Jakub Klepek to CNN.
“We often exchanged book titles and then jokingly complained about not being able to start new ones because of our university reading lists.”
The Capitol Jewish Museum has been shut down pending a security review. It is expected to reopen in a few days. In a statement, museum director Dr. Beatrice Gurwitz condemned the attack.
“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,” she said.
This piece was brought to you by Toni Airaksinen, Senior Editor of Liberty Affair and an independent journalist based in Boca Raton, Florida. Follow her on X @Toni_Airaksinen, and on Instagram.
