Importance Score: 65 / 100 🔴
Following the tragic shooting in Washington, D.C., where two Israeli Embassy staff members were killed, the event organizer recounted unknowingly encountering the alleged assailant. The Wednesday night shooting took place near the Capital Jewish Museum. She and others offered comfort to a man they initially mistook for a distressed witness, who was later apprehended concerning the crime.
Event Organizer’s Account
JoJo Drake Kalin, speaking with Sky News, a global partner of NBC News, stated that in the immediate aftermath of the shooting at the Capital Jewish Museum, a visibly upset man gained entry. The security personnel believed he was a victim or an innocent observer. “And being the well-meaning group that we are, we all thought that was the case. And I actually gave him water,” Kalin said.
Unaware of the Danger
Kalin was unaware that she was interacting with Elias Rodriguez of Chicago, later taken into custody by law enforcement concerning the shooting of Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky.
Shortly after, Kalin realized that she was “looking evil in the eye, that he was a murderer.”
Investigation and Suspect
According to Attorney General Pam Bondi, investigators suspect Rodriguez acted alone. As of Thursday morning, he had not been formally charged.
Event Details
The gathering brought together Jewish and non-Jewish representatives from 30 embassies, focusing on the theme of “Turning Pain Into Purpose.”
Irony of the Tragedy
“We were gathered to talk about bridge-building,” Kalin explained. “So it’s painfully, painfully ironic that at a time we were thinking about bridge-building, someone came in with such hate and destruction.”
“We wanted to counter the ‘us vs. them’ narrative and come together in shared humanity.”
Suspect’s Statement
After being detained, the suspect reportedly shouted “Free, free Palestine” and “implied” his involvement in the deaths of Milgrim and Lischinsky, according to Washington Police Chief Pamela Smith.
Victims Remembered
The victims were departing the event at the museum around 9 p.m., according to Yechiel Leiter, Israel’s ambassador to the United States. He said that Lischinsky had recently purchased an engagement ring and intended to propose during their upcoming trip to Jerusalem.