Federal prosecutors have charged Elias Rodriguez with the murder of two Israeli embassy staff workers in Washington, DC. Rodriguez faces two counts of first-degree murder, murder of foreign officials, causing death with a firearm, and discharging a firearm in a crime of violence. The victims, Israeli citizen Yaron Lischinsky and American citizen Sarah Milgrim, were shot outside a Jewish museum on Wednesday evening.
Interim US Attorney Jeanine Pirro condemned the attack, stating, “This is a horrific crime, and these crimes are not going to be tolerated by me and by this office.” Pirro emphasized that the investigation will continue to explore potential hate crime and terrorism charges, with additional charges forthcoming as evidence warrants.
The attack occurred as the victims were leaving an event hosted by the pro-Israel American Jewish Committee. According to Washington Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith, Rodriguez chanted “Free Palestine! Free Palestine!” after the shooting. An affidavit from the Federal Bureau of Investigation notes that Rodriguez told police, “I did it for Palestine. I did it for Gaza.”
The shooting has been widely condemned, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denouncing it as an attack against the State of Israel. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated, “The Department of Justice will be prosecuting the perpetrator responsible for this to the fullest extent of the law.” Some officials, including Republican Representative Randy Fine, have drawn controversy by comparing the Gaza war to World War II and suggesting a similar outcome.
The incident has sparked concerns about rising anti-Semitism and racism in the US, with Jewish, Muslim, and Arab communities reporting increased harassment and racism since the war in Gaza began. However, protest leaders have largely disavowed anti-Jewish hate, and the context of the shooting remains complex.