Shooting Incident Near Israeli Embassy
Witnesses to the tragic shooting involving two Israeli embassy staff members have shared unsettling details about the incident. This occurred when protesters gathered at Columbia University on Thursday.
Jonathan Epstein, who was present during the shooting outside the Capital Jewish Museum around 9:08 PM on Wednesday, described seeing the shooter act in a strange, disturbing manner. The victims, identified as Sarah Lynn Milgrim and Jaron Lisinsky, were reportedly targeted while leaving an event. Epstein expressed that they were in a safe room when the chaos began.
The suspect, Elias Rodriguez, a 30-year-old man, is currently in custody. Epstein recounted seeing Rodriguez being subdued by authorities, and remarked that his eyes reflected what he had seen in other protesters during his time at graduate school in Colombia. “There was no difference between him and them,” he stated.
Epstein conveyed the chilling moment when the shooter allegedly exclaimed, “I did this for Gaza,” illustrating a disturbing connection between the act of violence and the ongoing tensions surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Amid the protests at Columbia University, which some have associated with enabling violence, CNN anchor Sarah Sidner noted that these demonstrators did not directly initiate the shooting. However, Epstein disagreed, arguing that the rhetoric from protestors generated a permissive environment for such actions. “They called for the Intifada Revolution, the same thing he cried out last night,” he said.
In a conversation with Sidner, Epstein expressed concerns about the troubling overlap between those genuinely advocating for issues in Gaza and those inciting violence. “It’s confusing,” he remarked, suggesting that the calls for an Intifada at Columbia University have become alarming.
When questioned if he felt fear, Epstein stated that everyone should be cautious, yet they must continue on with their lives. He linked his feelings to memories of 9/11, underscoring the need to persevere. “You cannot let them instill fear in you,” he said. “You have to live, and hopefully, your government will take measures to protect you. Last night, our government failed us.”
