Two Israeli embassy employees have been shot dead in the US capital, Washington, D.C., near the Capital Jewish Museum in the city's downtown area. The victims were a woman and a man.

They attended a Jewish event there, the British media outlet BBC reported on Thursday (May 22, 2025).

The media outlet says that details about the attack and the killings are still unknown. However, US Homeland Security Chief Christie Noam confirmed that the two people killed - a man and a woman - were working at the Israeli embassy.

The BBC says that on Wednesday at 9:05 pm local time, they were shot at close range as they were leaving the Capital Jewish Museum in downtown Washington, DC, after a performance. They were killed instantly.

According to CBS News, the BBC's US partner, the attack was targeted at them, meaning it was a deliberate attack.

Police have identified a suspect in the attack, Elias Rodriguez, from Chicago, who is currently in police custody.

Israel's ambassador to the United Nations called the incident an "anti-Semitic terrorist attack" and strongly condemned it.

Israeli embassy spokesman Tal Naim Cohen said in a statement: “Two of our employees were shot at close range while attending a Jewish event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC.”

He added, "We have full confidence in local and federal law enforcement to bring the perpetrator to justice and ensure the safety of Israeli representatives and Jewish communities across the United States."