Israeli Embassy staff killed in anti-semitic attack in Washington DC

Two Israeli embassy employees were shot dead outside the Capitol Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night. "Two Israeli embassy staff were unprovoked murdered tonight near the Jewish Museum in Washington DC," US Homeland Security Secretary Christy Noem posted on the X-social media platform. Two people were shot while leaving an event at the museum, law enforcement sources told CNN. According to the news outlet, the shooting took place at around 9:15 p.m. local time near the FBI office building on F Street. An embassy spokesman told CNN that the Israeli ambassador was not involved in the incident and was not at the location at the time of the shooting.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a social media post that she and acting U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro had arrived at the scene of the shooting outside the Capitol Jewish Museum. According to CBS News, two people familiar with the investigation said that a suspect who is believed to be the shooter is in custody.

Two sources said the shooter had shouted "Free Palestine" before shooting. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee posted on X: "This morning the people of Israel experienced a horrific terrorist incident. AG Pam Bondy called me to tell me about it and she was at the scene. Two people were killed in a shooting that targeted Israeli embassy staff outside a Jewish museum in Washington DC. "

Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, also wrote in a social media post that the shooting "took place outside an event at the Jewish museum." Danon wrote that two other Israeli embassy staff were wounded in the shooting, but officials have not confirmed this number. "Washington, D.C. The fatal shooting outside the event held at the Jewish Museum in the U.S. is a despicable act of anti-Semitic terrorism. Harming the Jewish community is crossing a red line. We are confident that the US authorities will take stern action against those responsible for this criminal act.

Israel will continue to work resolutely to protect its citizens and representatives around the world," Danon posted on The Axe. FBI spokesman Ben Williamson posted to The Ex that FBI staff are responding to assist the Metropolitan Police Department in dealing with the situation. "There is no threat to public safety," the FBI Washington Field Office wrote on X. "

"Two Israeli embassy staff were shot at close range this evening while attending a Jewish event at the Capitol Jewish Museum in Washington DC," Tal Nam Cohen, a spokesman for the Israeli Embassy in Washington, posted. We have full confidence in law enforcement officials at both the local and federal levels to apprehend the shooter and protect Israeli representatives and Jewish communities throughout the United States. "More details are awaited.