Two staff members of the Israeli embassy were shot and killed Wednesday evening while leaving an event at a Jewish museum in the nation’s capital, and the suspect yelled, “Free, free Palestine” after he was arrested, police said.
“Free, Free Palestine!”
Two Israeli embassy staff were shot dead outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington. The suspect, Elias Rodriguez, 30, shouted “Free Palestine” during his arrest and had no prior police record, according to authorities. pic.twitter.com/Ncd9Uygplf
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US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced the deaths in an X post, saying, “We are actively investigating and working to get more information to share.”
Tal Naim Cohen, a spokesperson for the Israeli embassy, confirmed that the two staff members were shot “at close range” while attending the event.
Local media reported that a man and a woman were killed, without releasing their names.
Washington police chief Pamela Smith said a single suspect who was seen pacing outside the museum before the event was apprehended.
The suspect, identified as 30-year-old Elias Rodriquez of Chicago, Illinois, “chanted ‘Free, free Palestine,’ while in custody,” she added.
Source: Agencies (edited by Al-Manar English Website)