Two staff members of the Israeli embassy in Washington were shot and killed Wednesday evening near a Jewish museum, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said, as reported by AP.
In a post on X, Secretary Noem said, “Two Israeli Embassy staff were senselessly killed tonight near the Jewish Museum in Washington DC. We are actively investigating and working to get more information to share. Please pray for the families of the victims. We will bring this depraved perpetrator to justice.”
The shooting took place outside the Capital Jewish Museum, which is just steps away from the FBI’s field office in Washington, D.C.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson at the Israeli embassy in Washington Tal Naim Cohen said on X, “Two staff members of the Israeli embassy were shot this evening at close range while attending a Jewish event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington DC.”
We have full faith in law enforcement authorities on both the local and federal levels to apprehend the shooter and protect Israel’s representatives and Jewish communities throughout the United States, Naim added.
FBI director Kash Patel said, “My team and I have been briefed on the shooting tonight in downtown DC outside the Capital Jewish Museum and near our Washington Field Office. While we’re working with MPD to respond and learn more, in the immediate, please pray for the victims and their families. We will keep the public updated as we are able.”
Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, called the shooting “a depraved act of anti-Semitic terrorism.”
“Harming diplomats and the Jewish community is crossing a red line,” Danon said in a post on X. “We are confident that the US authorities will take strong action against those responsible for this criminal act.”
Police offered no details late Wednesday night on a potential motive for the shooting.
A news conference is expected later on Wednesday.
(This is a developing story)