Two Israeli Embassy staff members, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, were fatally shot outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night. The couple, reportedly on the verge of engagement, were leaving a Young Diplomats reception at the museum, an event described by organizers as a discussion of the Gaza crisis aiming to “turn pain into purpose.”
Yaron Lischinsky, 28, and Sarah Milgrim, 26, were identified by the Israeli Foreign Ministry as employees of the embassy. Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter stated that Lischinsky had purchased an engagement ring with the intention of proposing to Milgrim in Jerusalem the following week. The couple had met at American University, where they were both pursuing master’s degrees, and began dating weeks later. Milgrim’s father, Robert Milgrim, told CBS News that the family “loved” Lischinsky, and the couple was due to fly to Israel to meet his family.
The suspect, identified as Elias Rodriguez, 30, from Chicago, is in custody. Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela A. Smith stated that Rodriguez was observed pacing outside the museum before approaching a group of four people, producing a handgun, and shooting Lischinsky and Milgrim. He then entered the Jewish Museum, where he was arrested by museum security. Witness video and police statements indicate Rodriguez shouted “Free Palestine” while being arrested and “chanted ‘free, free Palestine’ while in custody,” according to Smith. Law enforcement officials noted Rodriguez was not previously on their radar.
Yaron Lischinsky, a German-born Israeli national, worked in the embassy’s political department. He had moved from Nuremberg, Germany, to Israel at age 16, served three years in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), and held a master’s degree in government, diplomacy, and strategy. Described by friends and professors as a “devout evangelical Christian” and a “true lover of Israel,” he was “very into bringing Germans and Israelis together.” Lischinsky advocated for interfaith dialogue and intercultural understanding, expressing belief in the Abraham Accords’ vision for expanding peace in the Middle East. His social media activity hours before the attack included sharing a post accusing UN officials of “blood libel” regarding Gaza starvation claims.
Sarah Milgrim, an American employee, worked in the embassy’s public diplomacy department, organizing visits and missions to Israel. She held master’s degrees in international studies and sustainable development. Her father noted her dedication to “bringing together” Palestinian and Israeli groups during summers in Israel, making “a lot of close Palestinian friends, as well as many Israeli friends.” Milgrim was also a volunteer with Tech2Peace, an advocacy group promoting dialogue. Her LinkedIn profile showed a photo with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, thanking him for work to “combat anti-semitism while being a voice for unity.” Her father also shared a poignant detail, stating, “The ironic part is that we were worried for our daughter’s safety in Israel … but she was murdered three days before going.”
The Israeli Embassy released a statement saying its “entire staff is heartbroken and devastated,” with spokesperson Tal Naim Cohen writing, “Instead of walking you down the aisle, we are walking with you to your graves. What an unbearable loss.” Ambassador Leiter stated the couple was “gunned down… in the name of ‘Free Palestine’.” World leaders quickly condemned the killings, which led to heightened security at Israeli diplomatic missions globally. The American Jewish Committee (AJC) CEO Ted Deutch expressed shock, adding, “Sarah and Yaron were stolen from us… Moments before they were murdered, they were smiling, laughing, and enjoying an event with colleagues and friends.”
The deaths occurred more than 18 months after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and hundreds taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies. Israel’s military response in Gaza has since killed more than 53,000 people, many of them women and children, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry. This ongoing conflict has prompted worldwide protests.
