Two members of the Israeli Embassy in Washington were fatally shot just after 9 p.m. on May 21 while leaving an event at a Jewish museum. According to police, one suspect has been detained.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar identified the victims as Yaron Lischinsky, who served as a research assistant, and Sarah Milgrim, who coordinated trips and missions for Israel. The pair were engaged and about to get married next week in Jerusalem, according to Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter.
Elias Rodriguez, 30, of Chicago, was arrested in connection with the shooting, Pamela Smith, chief of the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia, said at a news conference within a few hours of the shooting. The suspect is said to have approached a group of four people and opened fire.
The alleged murderer shouted “Free, free Palestine! Free, free Palestine!” as he was taken into custody.
The activist intentionally targeted the couple because they were coming out of the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. Not only did he shoot them but he stalked them to make sure they were dead.
The suspected terrorist who opened fire on two Israeli Embassy staffers in Washington, DC, unleashed nearly two dozen rounds at the soon-to-be-engaged couple — with victim Sarah Milgrim attempting to crawl away after collapsing to the ground, according to sources and court documents.
Elias Rodriguez, 31, was caught on surveillance footage firing several shots at Yaron Lischinsky, 28, and Milgrim, 26, before they both collapsed outside the Capital Jewish Museum late Wednesday, according to an arrest affidavit.
The Chicago native leaned over the bullet-riddled couple and continued firing, then followed Milgrim as she made a desperate attempt to escape, shooting her again, charging documents showed.
Rodriguez was seen reloading his weapon before opening fire on Milgrim once more.
Assuming Rodriguez is guilty as charged, I believe the only just sentence is the death penalty. His crime is both a “hate crime” and a terrorist attack. He’s a cold-blooded killer who murdered two innocent people because they represented something he hated: a country and a people who have been victims of violence and hatred for thousands of years.
I was surprised to learn that Yaron Lischinsky was a Christian. According to Joel Rosenberg of All Israel News, Lischinsky was the brother of one of AIN’s reporters.
Two young Israeli diplomats – Yaron Lischinsky, 28, and his girlfriend, Sarah Milgrim – were murdered, shot to death at close range, attending an event hosted by the American Jewish Congress in Washington, D.C.
That news was hard enough to take.
But then I learned that Yaron was the brother of Hanan Lischinsky, a friend and a colleague of mine and our team.
Hanan is a strong and devout Israeli follower of Jesus and a very impressive and accomplished journalist who works for ALL ISRAEL NEWS and serves as our News Desk Manager.
Yaron was also a strong follower of Jesus – well-known, well-respected, and well-loved throughout the Israeli Christian community – as well as a veteran of serving in the Israeli Defense Forces, a diplomat working for Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and a passionate soccer player.
Yaron and Sarah were not only like-minded, best friends, and madly in love.
They were also planning to get married.
In fact, Yaron had already purchased the ring and the two were planning to fly back to Jerusalem next week to get engaged.
As an evangelical Christian, I rest assured that Yaron and Sarah are now safely in the arms of Jesus. I grieve not only their deaths, but also the hatred that led to such an act. It makes me angry. And while I hope that Rodriguez comes to faith in Christ, I also have a strong sense of justice. May he come to faith before he pays for his crime.
I plead with you to disavow anti-Semitism and refuse to tolerate it at all. If someone says something antisemitic to you, rebuke them. Do not be ashamed of standing up for the Jewish people.
Have a good weekend and I’ll see you Memorial Day morning.