Gunman aiming at Israeli embassy personnel reportedly kept firing even after victims fell to the ground.
Washington D.C. - Elias Rodriguez, a 31-year-old man from Chicago, has been accused of shooting dead two Israeli Embassy workers during an incident in the capital on Wednesday. According to the FBI, Rodriguez approached the victims, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, outside the Capital Jewish Museum after they had left an event.
Surveillance footage, presented in a charging document, shows Rodriguez passing the couple before shooting them in the back. After they fell to the ground, the footage indicates that Rodriguez leaned over the victims and fired several more times. After the shooting, Rodriguez reportedly followed Milgrim as she attempted to crawl away and fired again.
Rodriguez was arrested shortly after the incident, during which he allegedly shouted "Free Palestine." The FBI has stated that Rodriguez later told police he had "done it for Palestine, for Gaza." He is also said to have expressed admiration for a U.S. Air Force member who set himself on fire in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington D.C. in 2024 as an act of protest against the war in Gaza.
Rodriguez has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder, as well as other charges including the murder of foreign officials. If found guilty, he faces life in prison or the death penalty. During a court appearance, Rodriguez remained calm and requested to be appointed an attorney.
Rodriguez's victims, Lischinsky and Milgrim, were in a relationship at the time of the shooting. Lischinsky had reportedly planned to propose to Milgrim, as he had purchased a ring for the occasion. Milgrim's father, Robert, stated that he feared for her safety when he saw news alerts of a fatal shooting in Washington D.C. and learned that she was at the Capital Jewish Museum. "They were perfect for each other," he said. "Her memory, which is a blessing, will continue to bring us joy - but it's not the same as her not being here."
The shooting has been condemned by Israeli officials, who describe the incident as an act motivated by anti-Israeli sentiments. Further details on Rodriguez's far-left political affiliations and writings are being examined by law enforcement.
The shooting incident in Washington D.C. has sparked a discussion in general-news regarding the growing concern over crime-and-justice, as Elias Rodriguez, the accused, allegedly shouted "Free Palestine" during the shooting of two Israeli Embassy workers. Investigators are now looking into Rodriguez's politics and writings, with a focus on possible links to anti-Israeli sentiments and support for controversial activities in the context of ongoing Middle Eastern conflicts.
