Jewish museum suspect seemed ‘distraught,' confessed: Witness
(NewsNation) — Witnesses have described hearing 10 to 15 gunshots as two Israeli embassy staff members were killed near the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday.
Yoni Kalin, who attended an event inside the museum, told 'NewsNation Live' moments after hearing gunshots outside, two guests re-entered the building, alongside a man who would later identify himself as the shooter.
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'None of us knew at the time that the shooter was the shooter. This man clearly looked distraught. He was in a state of shock. His face was very pale,' Kalin said. 'People were sitting him down, checking in — Are you shot? Are you okay? — Giving him water, checking in. Little did we know he was the shooter in that moment.'
Soon after, police arrived. Kalin said the suspect approached officers, said he was unarmed, and confessed to the shooting. According to Kalin, the man told police, 'I did this for Gaza, free Palestine. There's only one solution, intifada, revolution.'
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar identified the victims as Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim. Lischinsky was a research assistant, and Milgrim organized visits and missions to Israel.
They were leaving a humanitarian-focused event involving more than 30 embassies, NGOs and religious organizations when they were shot.
Kalin emphasized that the event was not political but aimed at organizing humanitarian aid for Gaza.
'I'd never seen or spoken to him. I think, unfortunately, he fit right in,' he said, adding that he's unsure how the suspect knew about the private event, as its location was not publicly disclosed.
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'I think the moral of the story is that shooting people in a Jewish museum doesn't free Palestine,' Kalin said. 'Killing embassy workers who are trying to help doesn't solve the problem. Violence is never the answer. Terrorism is never the answer.'
Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith said the suspect, 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez of Chicago, had been seen pacing outside before the shooting and began chanting 'Free, free Palestine' after his arrest. Police believe there is no ongoing threat to the community.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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