Representative Ilhan Omar from Minnesota chose not to answer questions from the media regarding the shooting in Washington, D.C., which resulted in the deaths of two Israeli embassy staff members who were leaving a Jewish Museum event on Wednesday night. When asked about her response to the incident, Omar, the first Somali-American elected to Congress, simply stated, “I’m going for now.”
A spokesperson for Omar did not provide a comment when approached by reporters.
The victims, Jaron Lisinsky and Sarah Milgrim, had plans to get engaged soon, according to the Israeli Embassy. They were shot as they left the museum that evening.
Authorities have arrested a 30-year-old man from Chicago, identified as Elias Rodriguez, in connection with the shooting.
Omar has been a prominent supporter of Palestinian rights and has faced criticism for her remarks about the Jewish community. For instance, she spoke at Columbia University in April 2024, suggesting that all Jewish children should be safe, regardless of their beliefs.
Her daughter, Isla Hirsi, was arrested during a pro-Palestinian protest at the same university that month. Lisinsky, who was born in Israel but raised in Germany, has a Jewish father and a Christian mother, while Milgrim worked at the Israeli Embassy.
Following the incident, both President Donald Trump and various Republican leaders labeled the attack as an act of anti-Semitism. Trump expressed his sadness over the murders, emphasizing that hate has no place in America and offered condolences to the victims’ families.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio also condemned the attack, expressing that those responsible would face justice. He tweeted, “We condemn the murder of two staff members from the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C. in the strongest possible terms.”
