Federal prosecutors have formally charged Elias Rodriguez, 31, with the murder of two Israeli embassy staff members in a targeted shooting outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington DC.
The attack, labelled by officials as an alleged act of antisemitic violence, has sent shockwaves through diplomatic and Jewish communities worldwide.
Rodriguez, a Chicago-based administrative worker, faces multiple federal charges, including two counts of first-degree murder, the murder of foreign officials, and firearms offences.
Prosecutors say the killings meet the criteria for a death penalty case, though no final decision has been made regarding capital punishment.
“This was a calculated, hate-driven act of terror,” claims Interim US Attorney Jeanine Pirro at a press conference on Thursday. “We will pursue justice to the fullest extent of the law.”
@USAttyPirro and LE partners update on charges related to the deadly shooting of Israeli Embassy staff
— U.S. Attorney DC (@USAO_DC) May 22, 2025
Watch here: https://t.co/XXULM6XZOP
The victims — Yaron Lischinsky, an Israeli national, and American citizen Sarah Milgrim — were a young couple who had attended a event at the museum on Wednesday evening.
Witnesses say Rodriguez opened fire on a group of four people as they exited the venue, then appeared to stand over the fallen victims and fire additional shots before fleeing briefly and entering the museum, where he surrendered.
According to court documents, Rodriguez shouted “Free Palestine” during his arrest and later told investigators, “I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza.”
Rodriguez had arrived in Washington DC just a day before the attack, flying in from Chicago with a legally purchased 9mm handgun in his checked luggage.
Surveillance footage and witness testimony indicate he was loitering outside the museum for some time before the shooting.
The FBI continues to investigate Rodriguez’s background.
The suspect made his first court appearance on Thursday and was ordered held without bail.
His next hearing is scheduled for 18 June.
The incident comes amid a rise in detentions and restrictions targeting pro-Palestinian activists.
According to the American Civil Liberties Union, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials, along with a private prison contractor, denied Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil a contact visit with his family—preventing him from holding his newborn son, CBS News reported.
Israel’s war on Gaza has resulted in the deaths of at least 53,762 Palestinians and injuries to 122,197 others, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
The Government Media Office has since revised the death toll to over 61,700, stating that thousands still missing beneath the rubble are presumed dead.
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