WASHINGTON: Elias Rodriguez, 31, has been formally charged with two counts of first-degree murder and the murder of foreign officials after allegedly shooting two Israeli embassy staff members outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. The incident, which has sparked global outrage, is being investigated as both a hate crime and an act of terrorism.
According to court documents, Rodriguez shouted “Free Palestine” as he was apprehended by police late Wednesday night. “I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza,” he reportedly told officers at the scene. The shooting occurred shortly after a social gathering hosted by the American Jewish Committee, which was attended by young Jewish professionals and members of the diplomatic community.
Rodriguez, a Chicago resident, made his initial court appearance on Thursday. If convicted, he could face the death penalty. Prosecutors say additional charges may be filed as the investigation continues. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for June 18.
Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro confirmed that the incident is being treated as a hate-driven terrorist act. “This is a deeply disturbing crime,” Pirro said, adding that the full extent of the motive is still under review.
International Reaction and Rising Tensions
The attack has drawn condemnation and reignited fierce international debate over anti-Semitism and the Israel-Gaza conflict. Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar directly blamed what he called “anti-Israel incitement” from European leaders for contributing to the violence.
“There is a clear link between incitement against Israel and this brutal murder,” Saar said, accusing international organizations and European officials of fueling hatred.
In response, French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Christophe Lemoine called the allegations “completely outrageous and unjustified.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also weighed in, decrying the attack as “the terrible price of anti-Semitism” and blaming Western criticism of Israel’s military operations in Gaza for emboldening violence.
President Donald Trump, who spoke with Netanyahu following the incident, condemned the attack as a clear case of anti-Semitism in a post on social media.
Victims Identified
The victims have been identified as Yaron Lischinsky, an Israeli national and embassy researcher, and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, a U.S. citizen working in public diplomacy for the Israeli embassy. The two were reportedly in a relationship and planning to marry.
Court documents reveal chilling details of the attack. Rodriguez is said to have fired 21 shots at close range, continuing to shoot after the victims had collapsed. Witnesses described a chaotic scene, with some initially mistaking the shooter for a victim. Rodriguez reportedly entered the museum afterward, where bystanders attempted to comfort him before realizing he was the assailant.
Community Grieves
On Thursday, mourners gathered outside the Capital Jewish Museum to sing, pray, and grieve. “Obviously, the war is awful,” said Gil Livni, one of the mourners. “But anti-Semitism — I feel it every day now. People I thought were friends have shown their true colors.”
Hadar Susskind, president and CEO of New Jewish Narrative, called the tragedy “unbelievably painful,” urging that such violence cannot be allowed to define the response to global conflict.
The Capital Jewish Museum had recently received a grant to bolster security amid a documented surge in anti-Semitic incidents worldwide — a trend that has intensified amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
