NPR Politics Podcast

The shooter, police say, chanted Free Palestine after being detained. President Trump has condemned the shooting, calling it an act of anti-Semitism. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his heart ached for the victims.

Yeah, so this took place right around 9 p.m. last night here in D.C. It was just outside an event for young Jewish foreign policy professionals. The event was put on by an advocacy organization called the American Jewish Committee. It was held at a local Jewish museum in downtown D.C., just under a mile from the capital.

Yeah, so this took place right around 9 p.m. last night here in D.C. It was just outside an event for young Jewish foreign policy professionals. The event was put on by an advocacy organization called the American Jewish Committee. It was held at a local Jewish museum in downtown D.C., just under a mile from the capital.

Yeah, so this took place right around 9 p.m. last night here in D.C. It was just outside an event for young Jewish foreign policy professionals. The event was put on by an advocacy organization called the American Jewish Committee. It was held at a local Jewish museum in downtown D.C., just under a mile from the capital.

Outside this event, a man was observed pacing back and forth, police said, and then a group of four people left this foreign policy professional networking event. And the man opened fire, killed two of them. And so here's the D.C. police chief, Pamela Smith, speaking to reporters about this late last night.

Outside this event, a man was observed pacing back and forth, police said, and then a group of four people left this foreign policy professional networking event. And the man opened fire, killed two of them. And so here's the D.C. police chief, Pamela Smith, speaking to reporters about this late last night.

Outside this event, a man was observed pacing back and forth, police said, and then a group of four people left this foreign policy professional networking event. And the man opened fire, killed two of them. And so here's the D.C. police chief, Pamela Smith, speaking to reporters about this late last night.

And there's a video of him circulating on social media of this exact moment that the police chief described. There's a keffiyeh with him, which is the recognizable scarf of the Palestinian movement. You can clearly hear him say those words, free, free Palestine, before he is... Quickly detained by security, I mean, taken outside.

And there's a video of him circulating on social media of this exact moment that the police chief described. There's a keffiyeh with him, which is the recognizable scarf of the Palestinian movement. You can clearly hear him say those words, free, free Palestine, before he is... Quickly detained by security, I mean, taken outside.

And there's a video of him circulating on social media of this exact moment that the police chief described. There's a keffiyeh with him, which is the recognizable scarf of the Palestinian movement. You can clearly hear him say those words, free, free Palestine, before he is... Quickly detained by security, I mean, taken outside.

Police say they have intentionally identified this man as Elias Rodriguez, the 30-year-old from Chicago, they say. This early stage, apparently no prior encounters with law enforcement. And still, obviously, a lot to learn about when and why he came to D.C., whether these victims were targeted specifically.

Police say they have intentionally identified this man as Elias Rodriguez, the 30-year-old from Chicago, they say. This early stage, apparently no prior encounters with law enforcement. And still, obviously, a lot to learn about when and why he came to D.C., whether these victims were targeted specifically.

Police say they have intentionally identified this man as Elias Rodriguez, the 30-year-old from Chicago, they say. This early stage, apparently no prior encounters with law enforcement. And still, obviously, a lot to learn about when and why he came to D.C., whether these victims were targeted specifically.

The FBI says they are investigating this as a possible hate crime, a possible act of terrorism.

The FBI says they are investigating this as a possible hate crime, a possible act of terrorism.

The FBI says they are investigating this as a possible hate crime, a possible act of terrorism.

Well, we know that they were a young couple, a man and a woman. Israel's foreign ministry has named them as Yaron Lashinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgram. Milgram worked in public diplomacy at the embassy. Lashinsky was a researcher who focused on issues related to the Middle East and North Africa.

Well, we know that they were a young couple, a man and a woman. Israel's foreign ministry has named them as Yaron Lashinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgram. Milgram worked in public diplomacy at the embassy. Lashinsky was a researcher who focused on issues related to the Middle East and North Africa.

Well, we know that they were a young couple, a man and a woman. Israel's foreign ministry has named them as Yaron Lashinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgram. Milgram worked in public diplomacy at the embassy. Lashinsky was a researcher who focused on issues related to the Middle East and North Africa.

And in fact, on his LinkedIn, he wrote about the importance of, quote, interfaith dialogue and intercultural understanding when it comes to these issues. Israel's ambassador to the U.S., Yehiel Leiter, told reporters a little bit about the pair.