Two staff members of the Israeli Embassy were fatally shot outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC, on Wednesday night, in what officials have described as a “depraved act of anti-Semitic terrorism.”
Law enforcement agencies in the US capital confirmed that a man and a woman were killed in the shooting, which occurred late in the evening near the museum.
The victims, both confirmed to be employees of the Israeli diplomatic mission in Washington, were reportedly attending or leaving an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee (AJC) at the museum when the gunfire broke out.
In a statement, the AJC said it was “devastated that an unspeakable act of violence took place outside the venue.”
“At this moment, as we await more information from the police about exactly what transpired, our attention and our hearts are solely with those who were harmed and their families,” the organisation added.
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US Attorney General Pamela Bondi visited the scene following the incident. “I’m praying for the victims of this violence as we work to learn more,” she stated.
US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem confirmed the deaths of the two Israeli nationals. “Two Israeli Embassy staff were senselessly killed tonight near the Jewish Museum in Washington, DC,” Noem posted on X (formerly Twitter). “Please pray for the families of the victims. We will bring this depraved perpetrator to justice.”
Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, strongly condemned the attack, calling it a “depraved act of anti-Semitic terrorism.”
“Harming diplomats and the Jewish community is crossing a red line,” Danon wrote on X. “We are confident that the US authorities will take strong action against those responsible for this criminal act.”
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee described the shooting as a “horrific act of terror that the people of Israel are waking up to this morning.”
The Capital Jewish Museum, situated in a high-security area of Washington, has long been a cultural landmark for the Jewish community in the United States. Like many Jewish institutions across the country, it has been grappling with increased security concerns in recent months, particularly amid a surge in anti-Semitic sentiment following recent military actions in Gaza.
While authorities have not officially disclosed the motive behind the attack or identified the assailant, officials have suggested it may be linked to rising anti-Semitic tensions.
Security around diplomatic missions and Jewish centres in the US has been heightened in the wake of the attack, with President Joe Biden reportedly briefed on the situation. Investigations into the incident are underway.
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