In the wake of the murder of two Israeli embassy staffers outside an event at the Capitol Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., U.S. President Donald Trump has sent Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to Israel on an urgent visit.
Noem was expected to land in Israel on Sunday evening, where she will immediately head to the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Later, she is set to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as well as with victims of terrorism. On Monday, she is scheduled to meet with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar.
The embassy staffers, Yaron Lishinsky,30, and Sarah Milgrim, 26, were due to get engaged.
The attacker, Elias Rodriguez, a 31-year-old Chicago resident, has been charged with premeditated murder. The indictment reveals chilling details about the shooting, which occurred outside the Capital Jewish Museum.
According to the indictment, Rodriguez approached the couple from behind, drew a handgun and opened fire at their backs. After they both collapsed, he kept shooting multiple times.
Milgrim, who tried to crawl away, was shot again as she attempted to sit up, according to reports. Surveillance footage shows Rodriguez reloading his weapon and firing at her at point-blank range. He then leaned over their bodies and fired again.
The museum’s security cameras captured the entire incident, including the moment the weapon jammed and Rodriguez appeared to try to fire without success. The 9mm handgun, purchased by Rodriguez in Illinois in March 2020, was checked in as baggage on his flight from Chicago to Reagan National Airport in Virginia. The shooting took place shortly before 9 p.m.
Emergency responders pronounced Lishinsky dead at the scene. Milgrim was evacuated to a hospital but was declared dead about half an hour later.
Originally published by Israel Hayom.