Israeli embassy staff killed in Washington were a couple planning their engagement

Two Israeli embassy staffers in Washington DC, Sarah and Yaron, who were shot dead on Wednesday evening, were a couple and were planning to get engaged soon."The young man purchased a ring this week with the intention of proposing to his girlfriend next week in Jerusalem.

They were a beautiful couple," Israeli ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter said.A local rabbi who knew them told BBC that the couple "were nice, popular people".

The couple was shot dead near the Jewish Museum in Washington DC, just steps away from the FBI's Washington field office, an attack Israeli officials have condemned as a "depraved act of antisemitic terrorism."Authorities have arrested the suspected gunman, a 30-year-old man from Chicago identified as Elias Rodriguez.According to officials, as they handcuffed him, the suspect shouted "free, free Palestine".US homeland security secretary Kristi Noem assured justice to the victims and in a post on X said, "Two Israeli Embassy staff were senselessly killed tonight near the Jewish Museum in Washington DC. We are actively investigating and working to get more information to share. Please pray for the families of the victims. We will bring this depraved perpetrator to justice."