Reactions are coming in after two Israeli Embassy staff members were fatally shot Wednesday night while leaving an event at a Jewish Museum in Washington D.C.
The young couple, who were on the verge of getting engaged, were shot and killed while leaving an event at the Capital Jewish Museum around 9:15 p.m. Wednesday.
The suspected gunman, Elias Gonzalez of Chicago, was detained shortly after and chanted “Free, free Palestine” as he was taken into custody.
Gov. JB Pritzker reacts
What they’re saying:
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said a member of his staff was attending the event where the shooting took place. He released the following statement Thursday morning:
“I was horrified to hear of the deadly shooting at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC last night. Shortly after the incident occurred, I learned that a member of my team was attending the event. While they are shaken up, they are thankfully safe. MK and I are praying for the victims and their families and all of those affected by this tragedy.
“Law enforcement has apprehended the suspected gunman, and although the investigation continues, make no mistake: this was an attack on the Jewish community.
“An evening of connecting and belonging hosted by the American Jewish Committee quickly turned into a nightmare. Young Jewish people and diplomats came together in a museum built to honor their shared history but then had to flee gun shots and witness the killing of a young couple. As a Jew who led the building of a museum dedicated to standing up against bigotry and hatred, I know how sacred these places are and what trauma this incident has caused.
“Whether it’s gun violence or the rising tide of antisemitism, Americans of all backgrounds have an urgent obligation to stand for peace and reject bigotry in all its forms and in every way possible.”
Fatal shooting outside Capital Jewish Museum
The backstory:
Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim were leaving an event at the Capital Jewish Museum around 9:15 p.m. Wednesday when the suspect approached a group of four people and opened fire, Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith said at a news conference.
The suspect was observed pacing outside the museum before the shooting, walked into the museum after the shooting and was detained by event security, Smith said.
When he was taken into custody, the suspect began chanting, “Free, free Palestine,” Smith said. She said law enforcement did not believe there was an ongoing threat to the community.
The violence occurred following the American Jewish Committee’s annual Young Diplomats reception at the museum.
The Source: The information in this story came from the Associated Press and a statement from Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s Office.
