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DC shooting: Victims were a young couple, he purchased ‘ring’ to propose next week in Jerusalem
Two Israeli embassy workers, who were shot dead outside a Jewish museum in DC by a Chicago man, were a “beautiful” couple who was about to be engaged.
Two Israeli embassy workers, who were shot dead outside a Jewish museum in Washington DC by a Chicago man, were a “beautiful” couple who was about to be engaged, Yechiel Leiter, Israel's ambassador to the US stated in a news conference.
“The young man purchased a ring this week with the intention of proposing to his girlfriend next week in Jerusalem,” Leiter told media.
“They were a beautiful couple,” the Israel's ambassador to the US added.
The names of victims have not been released yet.
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DC shooting suspect Elias Rodriguez arrested
The DC shooting suspect has been identified as Elias Rodriguez, who was taken into police custody. In anow viral video on X, he can be heard chanting “free Palestine, free Palestine” slogan during his arrest.
The FBI's Washington Field Office associate director, Steve Jensen, stated that the inquiry intothe killings will "look into ties to potential terrorism" and whether the incident was motivated by a “hate crime.” Hedeemed the shooting as“heinous”.
The shooting took place around 21:05 local time in an area with several tourist attractions, museums, and government buildings, including the FBI's Washington field office.
According to Pamela Smith, chief of the Metropolitan Police Department, Rodriguezentered the museum after opening fire and was halted by security.
Rodriguez, 30, was observed pacing outside the museum, before shooting at a group of four andkilling the couple.
Israel's ambassador to the UN described the tragic incident as a “depraved act of anti-Semitic terrorism.”
In a statement on X, Ambassador Danny Danon wrote: “Harming diplomats and the Jewish community is crossing a red line. We are confident that the US authorities will take strong action against those responsible for this criminal act.”
Here's what Trump and his officials said
US President Donald Trump mourned the “horrible” D.C. killings, asserting that “antisemitism need to stop immediately.”
“These horrible D.C. killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW! Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA,” he stated on the Truth Social.
Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, called the incident a “blatant act of cowardly, antisemitic violence”.
He vowed to track down those responsible for the shooting and bring them to justice.
