Two Israeli Embassy staffers shot dead outside D.C.'s Capital Jewish Museum

Two staff members of Israel’s embassy in Washington, D.C., were shot dead outside the district's Capital Jewish Museum on Wednesday night, officials said.

Two staff members of Israel’s embassy in Washington, D.C., were shot dead outside the district's Capital Jewish Museum on Wednesday night, officials said.

The suspect shouted “Free, free Palestine” while in police custody and “implied” that he committed the shooting, Washington Police Chief Pamela Smith said. He was identified as Elias Rodriguez, in his early 30s, of Chicago.

In custody, he told authorities where he discarded the weapon, Smith added. Mayor Muriel Bowser said there was no active threat to the community following the arrest. There have so far been no charges.

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The victims were named by the embassy as Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim. Earlier, Yechiel Leiter, Israel’s ambassador to the United States, said they were a couple on a night out and were about to get engaged.