 "'Free Palestine' shooter charged with murder of Israeli embassy staff in DC")
Two Israeli Embassy staff members were shot dead outside a Jewish museum in Washington DC on Wednesday evening, in what authorities are calling an act of terrorism and a hate crime. The suspect, identified as 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez from Chicago, reportedly chanted “Free, free Palestine” after being taken into custody at the scene, according to a report by the Associated Press.
Suspect to be charged with first-degree murder
Authorities said Rodriguez used a 9mm handgun legally purchased in Illinois in 2020, which he had transported to Washington in his checked luggage. Though Illinois is known for strict firearm regulations, the weapon was obtained legally.
The suspect has been charged with first-degree murder, murder of foreign officials, and multiple firearms offences. More charges may follow, according to US Attorney Jeanine Pirro, who confirmed the case is eligible for the death penalty. “This is being investigated as a hate crime,” Pirro said at a press briefing on Thursday. “It was an act of directed violence against the Jewish community.”
Israeli shooting victims were young diplomats
The victims, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, a young couple on the brink of engagement, were among four individuals leaving the Capital Jewish Museum around 9.08 pm local time when the gunman opened fire, according to Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith. The couple was attending the American Jewish Committee’s annual Young Diplomats reception when the attack occurred.
Rodriguez, who had been seen loitering outside the venue before the shooting, entered the museum immediately afterward. Witnesses said he appeared distressed, and some offered him water, unaware he was the perpetrator. Police later apprehended him inside the building. On his arrest, he pulled out a red keffiyeh and repeatedly shouted “Free Palestine”, eyewitnesses Yoni Kalin and Katie Kalisher told reporters. ALSO READ | Israeli politician critiques Gaza war's toll on Palestinians, sparks outcry
Israeli diplomat shooter had no prior record
Rodriguez, who had no prior criminal record and was unknown to law enforcement, is believed to have acted alone. The FBI and local police are examining his digital footprint and have begun searching his residence in Chicago. Investigators are also reviewing online posts linked to the suspect, in which he reportedly accused Israel of genocide in Gaza, criticised US foreign policy, and expressed support for political violence.
Attack on Israeli couple response to war in Gaza
The killings have shocked both US and Israeli officials, who see the incident as part of a rising tide of antisemitic violence amid the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict. The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants killed 1,200 people in Israel and abducted around 250 others.
Since then, over 53,000 people, mostly women and children, have been killed in Gaza, according to local health authorities. Humanitarian groups warn of looming famine due to the continued blockade and restricted aid access. ALSO READ | Israeli allies unleash strong rhetoric over Gaza but with limited action
US calls attack ‘an act of terrorism’
Speaking after the attack, FBI official Steve Jenson condemned the shooting as “an act of terror” and said federal authorities were working closely with local police. Officials have assured the public there is no ongoing threat.
Video footage broadcast by Al Jazeera showed the alleged gunman, wearing a suit, being detained by security officers outside the museum.
A neighbour in Chicago, John Wayne Fry told the BBC that Rodriguez had displayed a photo outside his flat of a Palestinian-American boy, six-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi, who was murdered in a hate crime in 2023. Authorities are investigating any possible connections.
The US Attorney’s Office will prosecute the case.