2 Israel Embassy staff members were shot and killed near the Jewish Museum in Washington on Wednesday evening, in what Israeli officials have called an act of anti-Semitic terrorism.
The attack happened in Northwest DC, just a few steps away from the FBI’s Washington Field Office—a place known for top-tier security and surveillance. Despite that, two lives were taken in cold blood, right in the capital of the free world.
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed the deaths via a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “We are actively investigating and working to get more information… We will bring this depraved perpetrator to justice.”
Two Israeli Embassy staff were senselessly killed tonight near the Jewish Museum in Washington DC. We are actively investigating and working to get more information to share. Please pray for the families of the victims.
We will bring this depraved perpetrator to justice.
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) May 22, 2025
The names of the victims have not been released yet, but several local reports say both were affiliated with Israel’s diplomatic mission in the U.S.
The Israeli Embassy has confirmed the incident but issued no further details, only stating that Ambassador Michael Herzog was not present during the attack.
The shooting took place while the Capital Jewish Museum was hosting an event by the American Jewish Committee (AJC). AJC CEO Ted Deutch called the attack “an unspeakable act of violence.”
The museum, which reopened at its current location in 2023, is a symbol of Jewish culture and resilience. On that night, it became a crime scene.
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FBI, Police, and Politicians Respond
FBI Director Kash Patel acknowledged that the victims were killed just outside their Washington Field Office. His post on X read, “Please pray for the victims and their families. We will keep the public updated as we are able.”
My team and I have been briefed on the shooting tonight in downtown DC outside the Capital Jewish Museum and near our Washington Field Office. While we’re working with MPD to respond and learn more, in the immediate, please pray for the victims and their families. We will keep…
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) May 22, 2025
Police responded swiftly, sealing off the area and looking for surveillance footage and eyewitnesses. According to a police spokesperson, they are treating it as a hate-driven attack until proven otherwise.
Both U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and acting D.C. Attorney Jeanine Pirro were seen at the scene shortly after the shooting. Bondi promised a full federal response.
Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, did not mince words, calling the attack a “depraved act of anti-Semitic terrorism.”
The world keeps turning. But in diplomatic circles—and in Jewish homes tonight—there is shock, sorrow, and anger.
What’s shocking isn’t just the violence. It’s where it happened: near the FBI, near power, near people who are supposed to protect. Yet the bullets got through.
And let’s be honest—if this had been a different group, or in a different city, the outrage might’ve been louder by now.
Two Israel Embassy staff members are dead. Their crime? Being Israeli and Jewish in the wrong place, at the wrong time. In a capital filled with cameras and cops, their lives ended on a quiet street beside a museum that tells stories of survival.
This is more than a shooting. It’s a failure.
