Information on the suspected Capital Jewish Museum gunman:
Federal authorities are currently scrutinizing writings suspected to be penned by the individual accused of fatally shooting two Israeli Embassy staffers in Washington, D.C. on May 22, 2025. Investigations are underway to establish if the attack was grounded in anti-Semitism.
The suspect, Elias Rodriguez, a 31-year-old hailing from Chicago, has been taken into custody according to law enforcement, who also reported that he vocalized "Free, free Palestine" and implied his involvement in the shooting that occurred outside the Capital Jewish Museum.
Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and his colleague and girlfriend, Sarah Lynn Milgrim, 26, were the unfortunate victims of the incident. Rodriguez appeared before a federal magistrate judge on Thursday, donning a white prison jumpsuit and glasses, exhibiting a calm demeanor as the charges were read out: murder of foreign officials, causing the death of a person through the use of a firearm, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, as well as two counts of first-degree murder. Rodriguez waived his detention hearing and is being held without bond until his preliminary hearing, scheduled for June 18.
Federal agents asserted that Rodriguez admitted to Washington police officers who arrived at the crime scene that he had committed the act. He also reportedly expressed admiration for the U.S. Air Force member who set himself ablaze outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington in February 2024, presumably as a protest against the Israel-Hamas war, according to the complaint. That individual, who was heard shouting "Free Palestine," perished at the hospital.
The shooting is being examined as a hate crime and a violent act of terrorism, according to interim U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro. She stated that the case is eligible for the death penalty.
Witnesses have reported hearing gunshots on the night of the shooting, and upon the shooting's cessation, observed the gunman attempting to fire his weapon unsuccessfully. The witness also noticed him fleeing the scene while mimicking the action of discarding a gun. Security footage revealed the gunman wearing a blue jacket with a hood and a large dark-colored backpack, passing by the victims near the museum. After passing the victims, he pulled out a firearm from his waistband and discharged it several times, killing the victims almost instantly. The female victim attempted to crawl away, but the gunman pursued her, discharging the weapon several more times.
Forensics investigators collected 21 expended 9 mm cartridge casings, a firearm magazine, an empty magazine, and a 9 mm handgun with its slide locked, indicating that no ammunition remained. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives traced the 9 mm handgun and found that Rodriguez purchased it on March 6, 2020, in Illinois.
FBI agents surveilled an apartment building in the Albany Park neighborhood of Chicago on Thursday, where they retrieved large electronic equipment after entering the building. A neighbor reported seeing Rodriguez infrequently in the hallway or by the mailboxes but noticed his Justice for Wadee sign in the window. Wadee Alfayoumi, a 6-year-old Palestinian American boy, was fatally stabbed by his landlord in Illinois following the eruption of the Israel-Hamas war in 2023. Rodriguez was described by the neighbor as a normal, friendly individual, albeit one whose political views he wished he could have conversed about.
Politicians from both major parties have expressed outrage over the shooting. The couple, Lischinsky and Milgrim, were on the brink of becoming engaged and had attended a Young Diplomats reception at the museum, organized by the American Jewish Committee, an advocacy group. The Israeli ambassador to Germany described Lischinsky as a Christian, a champion of Israel, and a dedicated admirer of the country. According to the ambassador, Lischinsky planned to propose to Milgrim, who was also an employee of the Israeli Embassy.
President Donald Trump, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and other politicians have condemned the shooting as being based obviously on anti-Semitism. The American Osteopathic Information Association, where Rodriguez was employed as a profiles administrative specialist, expressed concern over the attack, stating that they are an organization committed to safeguarding the health and sanctity of human life and firmly believing in the inherent rights of individuals to live without fearing violence. Rodriguez also listed having worked as a coordinator and an oral history researcher for The HistoryMakers, a nonprofit organization in Chicago that collects oral histories of Black Americans, from 2023 to 2024.
The shooting outside the Capital Jewish Museum, which claimed the lives of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, is being investigated as both a hate crime and an act of terrorism, with the suspect, Elias Rodriguez, admitting to his involvement and citing his support for Palestine. Rodriguez's political views were known, as a neighbor reported seeing a "Justice for Wadee" sign in his window, a reference to the 2023 Palestinian American boy who was fatally stabbed during the Israel-Hamas war. This incident has sparked outrage among politicians from both major parties, as well as organizations committed to safeguarding human life, such as the American Osteopathic Information Association. The case is eligible for the death penalty, further underscoring the gravity of this crime in the context of war-and-conflicts, politics, general-news, and crime-and-justice.
