‘They killed peace activists’: A love story cut down by hate outside a DC Museum

Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Milgrim, 26, two rising stars at the Israeli embassy in Washington, DC, were gunned down Wednesday night outside the Capital Jewish Museum – just days before they were to get engaged during a planned trip to Jerusalem.The suspect, Elias Rodriguez, a 31-year-old from Chicago, allegedly shouted “Free Palestine!” during and after the shooting. He has been charged with multiple federal crimes, including the murder of foreign officials.Why it mattersThe couple weren’t high-ranking diplomats. But their story – one of interfaith love, bridge-building, and a shared commitment to peace – has shocked and devastated communities in the US, Israel, and beyond.“They killed the peace activists,” Melanie Robbins of the Atlantic Council’s Realign for Palestine, and who had worked with Lischinsky, told the Wall Street Journal.Their deaths highlight the human cost of rising global tensions, especially as antisemitism spikes and the war in Gaza continues to inflame passions and rhetoric.The big pictureSince the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and led to a massive Israeli military response, over 53,000 Palestinians have reportedly been killed, per Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry. Israel says over 400 of its soldiers have died in Gaza.The killings in DC come amid a wave of pro-Palestinian protests, rising antisemitic incidents, and polarized political rhetoric – including from top US and Israeli officials.“These horrible DC killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW!” President Donald Trump said on Truth Social.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the shooter a “terrorist who wanted to kill all Jews,” adding, “Yaron and Sarah weren’t the victims of a random crime.”Between the linesThis wasn’t just a hate crime. It was a targeted strike on young professionals whose very lives symbolized tolerance and dialogue.

Yaron Lischinsky

Born in Jerusalem, raised partly in Germany, and returned to Israel at 16 in what he called his aliyah.A devout Christian with a Jewish father, Lischinsky was described as deeply patriotic and spiritually connected to both identities.He held dual German-Israeli citizenship and graduated from Hebrew University and Reichman University with degrees in international relations and government.“He embodied the Judeo-Christian values and set an example for young people worldwide,” said Ron Prosor, Israel’s former ambassador to the UN and one of Lischinsky’s mentors.Yaron had recently bought an engagement ring and told friends he would propose during their upcoming trip to Jerusalem.“I think I’m going to do that there,” he told his friend Hussein Aboubakr Mansour the day before he died, the WSJ report said.He worked tirelessly at the embassy, including vetting disturbing footage from the October 7 attacks and advocating for reentry for a Gazan with US citizenship.“That smile you see in the photo – that’s how he always looked,” said Mansour. “This is a tragedy for his family, for DC, for Israel.”

Sarah Milgrim

Raised in Prairie Village, Kansas, she had long been active in her Jewish community and driven by a passion for peace and justice.She experienced antisemitism early – from swastikas at her high school to a 2014 shooting at a local Jewish community center that left three dead.“I worry about going to my synagogue, and now I have to worry about safety at my school,” she told a Kansas City TV station in 2017. “And that shouldn’t be a thing.”She studied environmental science at the University of Kansas, volunteered in Israel with Tech2Peace, and earned a master’s degree in international affairs from American University. Her work included climate collaboration, peacebuilding, and interfaith diplomacy.“She came here to promote peace,” Tech2Peace CEO Esti Rozenfeld told CNN. “She stood so proudly in her Judaism,” added college roommate Amanda Birger. “She made me want to be more Jewish.”

Zoom in: The night of the attack

The couple was leaving a private event hosted by the American Jewish Committee (AJC), focused on multi-faith humanitarian efforts for Gaza. The location was kept secret for security reasons.Surveillance footage shows Rodriguez pacing outside before opening fire on the group. Prosecutors allege he fired additional rounds after the victims fell and then reloaded.Rodriguez reportedly entered the museum afterward, declared he was unarmed, and told police: “I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza.”“This is a horrific crime,” said interim US Attorney Jeanine Pirro. “We will not tolerate antisemitism – especially in the nation’s capital.”What’s nextRodriguez remains in federal custody and could face the death penalty. The FBI is investigating the case as both a hate crime and a terrorist act.Authorities are also reviewing a set of writings believed to be his – including references to a US Air Force member who set himself on fire in front of the Israeli Embassy in early 2024.Embassies worldwide are tightening security, and Jewish communities across the US are grappling with renewed fear.“It’s not only a personal tragedy – it’s a public one,” Prof Nissim Otmazgin of Hebrew University told CNN. “Yaron symbolized the hope of Israel.”What they’re saying

The bottom lineSarah and Yaron’s lives – filled with love, purpose, and hope – were violently cut short. But their memory now stands as a symbol of what’s at stake in an increasingly divided world: the dream of peace built not just through politics, but through relationships, dialogue, and human dignity.“They didn’t just come to work and leave,” Michal Greenfield of Tech2Peace told CNN. “They came to be part of the community.”(With inputs from agencies)