Bereaved Families of Embassy Victims Express Longing for Peace, Relatives Confirm
In Washington, D.C., 30-year-old Yaron Lischinsky and his 26-year-old girlfriend Sarah Milgrim, both Israeli Embassy staff members, were tragically murdered in a shooting outside an event at the Capital Jewish Museum on May 21, 2025. The suspect, 31-year-old Elias Rodriguez, was promptly apprehended at the scene.
Jennifer Mizrahi, a friend of Milgrim, described them as empathetic individuals who longed for peace. Mizrahi emphasized Milgrim's concern for Israeli and Palestinian suffering, while Mariam Wahba, another friend of Lischinsky, described him as a diplomat at heart who would engage in conversations with anyone about any topic.
It is reported that Lischinsky was planning to propose to Milgrim next week, making their relationship a young couple with a promising future cut short.
During a press conference, Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter confirmed the tragic circumstances, stating, "The couple that was gunned down tonight were about to be engaged."
Rodriguez reportedly flew to the D.C. area on Monday, checked a 9 mm handgun in with his luggage, and purchased a ticket to the targeted museum event on Wednesday. Emily Pirro, interim United States attorney for the District of Columbia, labeled the attack as an act of terrorism and hate crime, vowing that such actions would not be tolerated in the nation's capital.
In the shooting, Rodriguez allegedly fired multiple shots at the victims, striking them in the back as they were leaving the Jewish heritage celebration. The FBI captured the suspect at the scene, where he asserted his actions were in support of Palestine and in response to the situation in Gaza. The FBI also discovered at least 21 shell casings at the scene of the crime.
Rodriguez faces federal and local murder charges, including the murder of foreign officials, as outlined in court documents. As of June 18, he is scheduled to appear at a preliminary hearing.
The shooting has sparked concern within the Congressional Jewish Caucus, with Florida Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz expressing her fear that the attack could easily have targeted her own children or staff members.
Investigators from the FBI were at Rodriguez's Chicago home on Thursday as they continue their international investigation and search for any potential co-conspirators. His local neighbors have reflected that Rodriguez seemed like a friendly individual, and they lament not having the opportunity to speak with him about the shooting.
Rodriguez appeared in court on Thursday, where he waived his right to a detention hearing and requested a public defender. Archival footage from 2018 shows Rodriguez participating in a protest against Amazon's planned second headquarters in Chicago, demonstrating his history of political activism, although this specific involvement does not directly relate to his shooting motives.
- The tragic shooting outside the Capital Jewish Museum, which resulted in the deaths of Israeli Embassy staff members Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, has been labeled as an act of terrorism and hate crime by Emily Pirro, interim United States attorney for the District of Columbia.
- During a press conference, international news outlets reported on the general-news story, highlighting the role of crime-and-justice in the investigation of the shooting, as well as the war-and-conflicts context, as the suspect, Elias Rodriguez, asserted his actions were in support of Palestine and in response to the situation in Gaza.
- The involvement of Rodriguez in political activism, such as his 2018 demonstration against Amazon's planned second headquarters in Chicago, has resurfaced in archived footage, displaying Rodriguez's history of politics, although this specific involvement does not directly relate to his shooting motives.
