Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) sparked controversy with her response to the fatal shooting of two Israeli Embassy staff members outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., late Wednesday evening, drawing both praise and sharp criticism for not explicitly mentioning the victims' Jewish identity or their connection to Israel. The attack, which occurred during an American Jewish Committee (AJC) event, has been labeled a potential act of "antisemitic terrorism" by Israeli officials, with the suspect reportedly shouting "Free, Free Palestine" after being detained.
The NY congresswoman posted on X early Thursday morning, stating, "Absolutely nothing justifies the murder of innocents. I am devastated by the killing of two people outside an @AJCGlobal event here in Washington. Our prayers are with the victims, families, and loved ones of all impacted. As we await more details, we must be clear that hatred has no home here. Antisemitism is a threat to all we hold dear as a society. It must be confronted and rooted out everywhere."
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YOU CANT EVEN SAY WHO WAS KILLED. Two JEWS. Two Israelis about to get engaged.Your hostile rhetoric poisons minds and leads to acts of violence like this. https://t.co/E6iLN4c316
— Josh Block (@JoshBlockDC) May 22, 2025
Absolutely nothing justifies the murder of innocents. I am devastated by the killing of two people outside an @AJCGlobal event here in Washington. Our prayers are with the victims, families, and loved ones of all impacted.
As we await more details, we must be clear that hatred…
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 22, 2025
Critics quickly accused her of downplaying the antisemitic nature of the attack, with X user Arsen Ostrovsky replying, "'Two people'? They were two JEWS. And more specifically, worked at the Israeli Embassy. These are pertinent details." Another user, Paul A. Szypula, added, "Who else thinks @AOC and her Hamas Squad in Congress caused the DC Israeli embassy attack on Wednesday? The fact she's now pretending to be against violence, after she's been inciting it for years, is ridiculous. She's who justified rioters stealing. AOC needs to resign." A Foreign Policy scholar called Josh Block wrote: "YOU CANT EVEN SAY WHO WAS KILLED. Two JEWS. Two Israelis about to get engaged. Your hostile rhetoric poisons minds and leads to acts of violence like this."
Video: The arrest of the suspect at the scene of the killing / Credit: Social media
The shooting took place around 9:05 p.m. local time on May 21, 2025, as attendees were exiting the AJC's annual Young Diplomats reception. The suspect, Elias Rodriguez, 30, from Chicago, was apprehended inside the museum shortly after the incident, according to DC Police Chief Pamela Smith.
The victims, a young couple who had planned to get engaged, were pronounced dead at the scene. Their names have not been released pending notification of their families.
Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter condemned the attack as a "depraved act of antisemitic terrorism," per CNN, while AJC CEO Ted Deutch expressed devastation, stating, "We are devastated that an unspeakable act of violence took place outside the venue." US Attorney General Pam Bondi added, "Praying for the victims of this violence as we work to learn more," according to ABC News. The FBI and DC police are investigating the incident as a potential hate crime or terror attack.
"Two people"? They were two JEWS. And more specifically, worked at the Israeli Embassy. These are pertinent details. Maybe you ought to be more mindful of your relentless inflammatory rhetoric, that only emboldens the kinds of perpetrators from tonight's heinous attack.
— Arsen Ostrovsky 🎗️ (@Ostrov_A) May 22, 2025
The controversy surrounding AOC's statement reflects broader tensions over her past criticism of Israel, including her 2024 remarks accusing Israel of "genocide" in Gaza, which some argue have fueled antisemitic sentiment. The incident also comes amid a reported 140% increase in antisemitic incidents in the US.from 2023 to 2024, according to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).
