Israel to tighten security at diplomatic missions worldwide after Washington killings

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.

The two victims, a man and a woman, were leaving an event at the Capital Jewish Museum when the suspect approached a group of four people and opened fire, Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith said at a news conference.

The suspect, identified as Elias Rodriguez, 30, of Chicago, was observed pacing outside the museum before the shooting, walked into the museum after the shooting and was detained by event security, Smith said.

When he was taken into custody, the suspect began chanting: “Free, free Palestine,” Smith said. Smith said law enforcement did not believe there was an ongoing threat to the community.

Israeli ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter said the two people killed were a young couple about to be engaged, saying the man had bought a ring this week with the intent to propose next week in Jerusalem.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said she was at the scene with former judge Jeanine Pirro, who serves as the US attorney in Washington and whose office would prosecute the case.