 "Two people who wee shot at US Capitol Jewish Museum have been identified as Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim. The couple days away from an planned engagement. Image courtesy: X/IsraelinUS")
A quiet evening in Washington, DC turned deadly on Wednesday, when two staffers from the Israeli Embassy were shot outside the US Capital Jewish Museum in what authorities have described as an “anti-Semitic attack”.
The victims—Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim—were not just colleagues. They were partners, soulmates, and as it turns out, just days away from a planned engagement that had been months in the making, revealed Israel’s Ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter.
The couple had been attending a private event hosted by the American Jewish Committee at the museum, a cocktail evening for young Jewish professionals, also open to members of the diplomatic community. Organisers said the gathering was meant to help people in Gaza.
But just as the two were leaving the event, they were shot “at close range” by the gunman, reports The Times of Israel. While officials have said there is no ongoing threat to the broader Jewish community, those who knew Yaron and Sarah say the loss is already immeasurable.
Here’s what we know about the couple.
‘Yaron purchased a ring to propose to Sarah’
In a heartbreaking statement, Israel’s Ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, revealed that Yaron was planning on proposing to Sarah next week during their trip back home.
“The young man purchased a ring this week with the intention of proposing to his girlfriend next week in Jerusalem. They were a beautiful couple,” Leiter said.
Yaron and Sarah had reportedly met during their training for diplomatic service and had been inseparable ever since. Colleagues at the Israeli Embassy described them as “devoted not only to their work but to each other". As reported by News18, the two were often seen sharing quiet lunches and working late into the night during high-pressure moments.
The Embassy of Israel in the US issued a sombre statement mourning the loss of their colleagues.
“Yaron and Sarah were our friends and colleagues. They were in the prime of their lives. This evening, a terrorist shot and killed them as they exited an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in DC. The entire embassy staff is heartbroken and devastated by their murder. No words can express the depth of our grief and horror at this devastating loss. Our hearts are with their families, and the embassy will be by their side during this terrible time,” the post read.
Who is Elias Rodriguez, the suspect arrested for the attack?
The man arrested in connection with the shooting has been identified as 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez from Chicago, Illinois, DC Police Chief Smith confirmed.
According to a CNN report, shortly after the gunshots were heard outside the museum, Rodriguez entered the building, appearing distressed. At the time, many attendees believed he was just a frightened bystander or eyewitness.“He looked shaken, and security even offered him water,” said attendee Yoni Kalin.Another attendee, Paige Siegel, shared with the outlet, “I went up to him and asked if he was okay as he muttered ‘call the police’ again and again. He said he was okay. Then I asked if he was shot, he said he wasn’t.”Sarah Marinuzzi, who also attended the event, described Rodriguez’s behaviour as “erratic”. She said he approached security asking them to call the police.It wasn’t until officers arrived about ten minutes later that the man stunned the room by confessing to the crime. “I did it, I did it for Gaza. Free Palestine! Free Palestine” Marinuzzi recalled him shouting.
Authorities are now digging deeper into Rodriguez’s background, including his movements and online activity in the days leading up to the shooting. Investigators say he had been seen loitering near the museum earlier that day, raising suspicions about whether the attack was premeditated.
US President Donald Trump weighed in on the incident early Wednesday through his social media platform.
“These horrible DC killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW! Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA. Condolences to the families of the victims. So sad that such things as this can happen! God Bless You ALL!” he wrote.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog also condemned the killings, calling them a “despicable act of hatred”. “Our prayers are with the loved ones of those who were murdered,” Herzog added.
With input from agencies