Latest updates: World leaders condemn shooting of 2 Israeli Embassy staffers in Washington, D.C.

Dan Bongino, the surrogate theater director of the FBI, posted a few updates nearly the investigating on the societal media platform X “in the interest of transparency.”

He said he’s limited in what he can say but that the FBI is aware of “certain writings allegedly authored by the suspect” and that the FBI hopes to have updates on the authenticity of those soon.

“The subject is in custody and [was] interviewed last night at approximately 1 a.m. As this is a pending investigation, we will share more with you when we are able,” Bongino wrote.

He said the FBI's assessment is that there’s no ongoing threat to the public at this time.

“Above all, please pray for the families of the victims," he wrote. "This is something no parent, family member, or friend should have to go through. The FBI sends our condolences and will offer our full support as the investigation continues.”

The Department of Justice will be prosecuting the suspect to the fullest extent of the law, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Thursday afternoon in a news conference.

“The evil of antisemitism must be eradicated from our society,” she said.

She described the victims as deeply in love.

Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter just spoke to reporters in D.C. He said the U.S. And Israel would stand together and "defeat this anti-Israelism and anti-Zionism, which parades around along the lines of freedom-seeking."

Leiter called the shooting suspect an "extension" of Iran and Hamas's "ring of fire."

"This is done in the name of a political agenda to eradicate the state of Israel," Leiter said.

"Hamas is a death cult. They declared war on behalf of Iran and a ring of fire in order to eradicate us," he said. "They will be defeated."

There are no reports so far suggesting the suspect had any links to Hamas or Iran.

We're learning more about the suspect detained in the D.C. Shooting. Elias Rodriguez worked at the health-care non-profit American Osteopathic Information Association, Reuters is reporting. The organization confirmed his employment in a statement that expressed sympathy for the victims.

"We were shocked and saddened to learn that an AOIA employee has been arrested as a suspect in this horrific crime," the statement said.

He had also worked as an oral history researcher at The HistoryMakers, a non-profit dedicated to preserving African American stories, according to a now-deleted biography on the group's website.

Rodriguez was born and reared in Chicago and graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago with an English degree, the deleted page said.

Multiple Chicago news outlets are on the scene near a house in the city's Albany Park neighbourhood, northwest of downtown, where it is believed Rodriguez resided.

"I only know one thing: that he said 'Free Palestine' and he was shooting and killed two Jews, two Israelis…. Obviously, this is terrible," Olmert said.

"I can imagine that under certain circumstances when people watch what is going on in the Middle East, it can trigger some very negative traits in their personality, which may lead them into violence. This has to be condemned and has to be stopped."

"To blame some of the best friends that Israel has across the world — and the number is unfortunately going down these days — to blame them for antisemitism and support of terror is absolutely outrageous. I have no other word for it," Olmert said.

"To blame the leaders of Canada, Great Britain and France … is ugly and stupid and shows a total collapse of proportions about what's going on."

The executive director, Dr. Beatrice Gurwitz, and board of directors of the museum where Yaron Lishinsky and Sarah Milgrim were killed say they are "heartbroken" and send their condolences to the two Israeli Embassy staffers' families and friends.

"The Capital Jewish Museum was built to tell the centuries-old story of the greater Washington region's vibrant Jewish community," said the statement. "In our work, we share Jewish stories in the service of building bridges and opening dialogue in our beautiful city."

They called the shooting "an act of horrific antisemitic violence."

"Such acts of terror attempt to instill fear, silence voices and erase history – but we refuse to let them succeed," they wrote, adding that the museum is working to reopen within the coming days with increased security.

‘Appalled and horrified’: Anand responds to killing of 2 Israeli Embassy staff in U.S.

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says her thoughts are with the friends and family of the two Israeli Embassy staffers who were shot dead in Washington, D.C., as well as with the broader Jewish community in both the U.S. And Canada.

Prime Minister Mark Carney said his government will take action to combat the rise of hate-related crimes in order to protect Canadian communities, referencing a number of key campaign promises made last month including:

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand also issued a brief statement describing the murders as “horrific.”

“Antisemitism and the violence and fear it brings are beyond deplorable and must stop,” she said in her post on X.

Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a post on X that he is “devastated and appalled by the murder of two young Israeli embassy staff in Washington, D.C.”

“This was a targeted attack against the Jewish community — a violent act of antisemitism. This hate is intolerable, and I condemn it in the strongest terms,” he said in the post.

Carney went on to say his prayers are with both of the victims, their loved ones and the Jewish community.

“We cannot look away from the power of antisemitism and its radicalization. We must act to keep Jewish Canadians safe,” he added.

Attorney General Pam Bondi speaking to reporters, says there’s been “heightened vigilance” at all synagogues and at the Israeli Embassy, adding “Justice will be served.”

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