Breaking News: East alumna Sarah Milgrim was killed last night in D.C.

East alumna Sarah Milgrim and her boyfriend, Yaron Lischinsky, were killed by a lone gunman last night outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C.

According to a report from Reuters, the gunman, Elias Rodriguez, yelled “Free Palestine” while being removed from the scene by authorities.

Milgrim was a member of the SM East band, Jewish Student Union and choir, and starred in multiple school-run musicals. 

Choir teacher Ken Foley taught Milgrim for four years. Milgrim was in Foley’s daughter’s class, with the two in chamber choir together. Foley says he remembers Milgrim’s quirky sense of humor and strong soprano voice, as well as her frequent talking about her pets.

“I’m just sort of horrified today,” Foley said. “It’s really hard to process. She was fun to be around. Everyone liked her, [she was] very smart.”

Brenda Fishman, former sponsor of the Jewish Student Union, says she followed Pilgrim’s career after she graduated.

“I think she was in probably one of the happiest periods of her life,” Fishman said. “She’d been to Israel. She was working at the Israeli Embassy. She had found the love of her life and she had such a bright future ahead.” 

Milgrim, a staffer for the Israeli Embassy, was attending a reception for young diplomats held by the American Jewish Committee promoting peace between Israel and Palestine, as well as relief for Gaza, according to the New York Post.

East principal Jason Peres put out a statement this morning saying, “The Shawnee Mission East community extends our thoughts and prayers to the family and are deeply saddened by the loss of Sarah.”

Junior Morgan Beedle recalls Milgrim babysitting for her for four years. Beedle was devastated by the abrupt murder of her former caretaker.

“I was just shocked and I didn’t actually fully register it,” Beedle said. “It really broke my heart because I remember her being so kind and I couldn’t imagine someone wanting to murder her.”

Lischinsky had purchased a ring and was planning to propose that night prior to the shooting, according to AP News. They had also planned on visiting Lischinsky’s family in Jerusalem and were scheduled to leave on Sunday, according to the NY Times.

In 2017, Milgrim was interviewed by KSHB News regarding the swastikas and anti-semetic graffiti that were found spray-painted on the SM East Track Storage Facilities by SM South students. 

She told KSHB that “I worry about going to my synagogue, and now I have to worry about safety at my school. And that shouldn’t be a thing.”