Tributes continue for Sarah Milgrim after antisemitic shooting in D.C.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Tributes are still pouring in for 26-year-old Sarah Milgrim, a Kansas native whose life was cut short last week in what the FBI says was a targeted antisemitic attack in Washington, D.C.
Milgrim and her boyfriend, Yaron Lischinsky, were gunned down Wednesday night.
The FBI is investigating the attack as a hate crime. While the nation processes yet another act of senseless violence, those who knew Sarah are remembering the person she was warm, witty, deeply empathetic and fiercely proud of her Jewish identity.
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At a vigil held in her memory, Milgrim's best friend, Amanda Birger, shared stories of their bond—one that spanned years and felt more like family than friendship.
'I want people to speak about who she was, how wonderful she was, and how much we care about others,' Birger said.
'She was smart and funny and empathetic.'
Birger described Sarah as a natural peacemaker and someone who could light up a room, not with volume, but with presence.
'She would wait for her moment and be quiet for like 30 minutes,' Birger said.
'But then punch in with like the funniest thing I've ever heard.'
Sarah and Yaron had been planning a future together, friends say.
The couple had even talked about getting engaged. Birger described Yaron as, 'One of the smartest people I've ever met. He spoke several languages.'
She added, 'He was the perfect partner for Sarah—he was very smart, which she loved.'
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Details about memorial services for Sarah and Yaron have not yet been announced. FOX4 will share updates as soon as they become available.
The Shawnee Mission School District, where Sarah graduated from Shawnee Mission East, also released a statement mourning her loss. That statement reads:
Yesterday, we received the devastating news that Sarah Milgrim, a 2017 graduate of Shawnee Mission East High School, was killed in a senseless act of violence in Washington DC. We are devastated, for Sarah, for her partner Yaron, for her family, and for all who knew her in the Shawnee Mission East community and beyond.
While the investigation is ongoing, early reports suggest this was a targeted act of violence motivated by antisemitism. I know I speak for all in the Shawnee Mission community when I say hatred in any form is unacceptable. Violence is never the answer. There is much that divides us in this nation, and in our world, but it is NEVER acceptable to settle our differences with violence. 'An 'eye for an eye' leaves the whole world blind.'
That this act appears to have been motivated by antisemitic hate makes the tragedy even more horrifying. The American Experiment was begun by people who were fleeing religious persecution, and the freedom to exercise our religious faith without fear of harm is literally written into our constitution. Many of our Jewish families in Shawnee Mission emigrated to this country specifically to escape the horrors of the Holocaust, and unfortunately, even our own community has not been immune to the horrors of antisemitic hate.
Friends, we cannot allow this to be who we are becoming, either as individuals or as a society. We are a broad, diverse society, but we can never allow our differences to spill over into hate. If we do, we are all wounded.
Sarah's death is a huge loss for all of us. She had already earned masters degrees in natural resources and sustainable development, and in international affairs. She was just beginning to make her mark on the world. I urge you not to allow her death to go unnoticed. Sarah believed this world is for everyone. All of us must find ways to reach across our differences, to work together for the better world we all crave. Let's do this for Sarah. May her memory be for a blessing.
Sarah Milgrim's memory is already inspiring a community to speak louder, love harder, and stand up against hate in all its forms.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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