Elias Rodriguezthe person accused of fatally capturing two Israeli Embassy workers outdoors the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday evening, may face the dying penalty if convicted, in line with a newly unsealed FBI affidavit.
Rodriguez, 31, has been charged with the homicide of overseas officers, a federal capital offense, together with a number of firearm-related counts and two counts of first-degree homicide.
If convicted of both of the primary two counts, he may face the dying penalty. Underneath D.C. legislation, a conviction for first-degree homicide carries a minimal sentence of 30 years in jail and a most sentence of life behind bars.
Rodriguez waived his proper to a detention listening to and might be held with out bond whereas he awaits trial. He was ordered again to courtroom on June 18 for a preliminary listening to.
POLICE RAID DC SHOOTING SUSPECT ELIAS RODRIGUEZ’S CHICAGO APARTMENT
Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, who have been shot and killed as they left an occasion on the Capital Jewish Museum, pose for an image at an unknown location on this handout picture launched by the Embassy of Israel to the U.S. on Might 22, 2025. (Embassy of Israel to the USA by way of X/Handout by way of Reuters)
The capturing Wednesday evening occurred throughout an occasion hosted by the American Jewish Committee, which introduced collectively Jewish professionals and members of the diplomatic group.
In keeping with the affidavit, one of many victims, Yaron Lischinsky, 31, was an Israeli citizen and had been granted “official visitor” standing by the U.S. State Division. The opposite sufferer, Sarah Milgrim, 26, was additionally employed by the Israeli Embassy. The younger couple was set to be engaged.
Surveillance footage, in line with the affidavit, confirmed a suspect, who was carrying a blue jacket with a hood, a big dark-colored backpack and blue pants, approaching the couple from behind as they have been about to enter a crosswalk.
Investigators say Rodriguez drew a 9 mm handgun and opened fireplace with out provocation.
After the victims collapsed, he moved nearer and continued firing, the affidavit stated. Milgrim tried to crawl away, however Rodriguez continued capturing at her.
Investigators say Rodriguez paused to reload after which fired at her once more earlier than fleeing towards the museum’s entrance. Authorities recovered 21 shell casings, an empty handgun and a discarded journal on the scene.
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A preliminary post-mortem discovered that Milgrim suffered from a number of gunshot wounds. She was taken from the scene by the District of Columbia’s Fireplace and Emergency Medical Companies (DCFEMS) to the Workplace of the Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia. She was pronounced lifeless at 9:35 p.m. Wednesday. Post-mortem outcomes are pending.
Lischinsky was pronounced lifeless by DCFEMS at 9:14 p.m. Wednesday. His post-mortem outcomes are pending.
Elias Rodriguez is suspected of fatally capturing Israeli Embassy staffers in Washington, D.C., on Might 21, 2025. (Instagram/@shinewithIsrael)
Rodriguez didn’t resist arrest. When members of the Metropolitan Police Division’s First District arrived at 9:08 p.m. and approached Rodriguez, he allegedly instructed them, “I did it for Palestine. I did it for Gaza. I’m unarmed,” and later shouted, “Free Palestine,” as he was arrested.
Investigators stated they spoke with witnesses who reported seeing the suspect carrying a pink keffiyeh, a head masking usually related to Palestinian protesters.
Members of the group Misaskim on Might 22, 2025, clear blood off the bottom the place two Israeli Embassy workers members have been shot lifeless close to the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., the earlier evening. (Reuters/Evelyn Hockstein)
In an interview with legislation enforcement, Rodriguez reportedly expressed admiration for a protester who self-immolated outdoors the Israeli Embassy in 2024, by calling the act brave and saying the person was a “martyr.”
The affidavit stated Rodriguez instructed authorities that he bought a ticket for the Israeli occasion three hours earlier than opening fireplace on Lischinsky and Milgrim.
Federal authorities say Rodriguez flew from Chicago to Washington, D.C., the day earlier than the capturing and legally transported the firearm used within the assault as checked baggage.
The weapon was bought legally in Illinois in 2020.
FROM CAMPUS PROTESTS TO DEADLY VIOLENCE: ISRAELI EMBASSY STAFF MURDERED IN DC
Interim U.S. Legal professional for the District of Washington Jeanine Pirro speaks throughout a press replace on the deadly capturing of two Israeli Embassy staffers on the Division of Justice in Washington, D.C., on Might 22, 2025. (Drew Angerer/AFP by way of Getty Pictures)
Talking at a press replace on Thursday, interim U.S. Legal professional for the District of Washington Jeanine Pirro stated the group “is reeling because of one particular person’s actions.”
“Two households at the moment are left to grieve for goals that can by no means be realized,” she stated.
“And as I converse proper now, there’s a person who’s being introduced in courtroom and charged with varied crimes. Thirty-one-year-old Elias Rodriguez of Chicago, Illinois, is now charged by criticism after his preliminary look earlier than U.S. Justice of the Peace Decide Matthew Sharp.”
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Rodriguez is charged with homicide of overseas officers as a result of one of many victims was an Israeli citizen and categorised as an “official visitor” of the US by the State Division.
He’s additionally charged with inflicting the dying of an individual by way of using a firearm, discharging a firearm throughout against the law of violence, and two counts of first-degree homicide.
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten is a U.S. Author at Fox Information Digital.
Since becoming a member of in 2021, she’s coated high-stakes legal justice—from the Menendez brothers’ resentencing, the place Decide Jesic slashed their life-without-parole phrases to 50-years-to-life (making them parole-eligible), to the assassination makes an attempt on President Donald Trump’s life and shifting immigration enforcement, together with her reporting on South Florida’s illegal-immigration disaster, masking unprecedented migrant crossings from the Bahamas and ensuing enforcement operations.
Past these beats, she studies on crime, politics, enterprise, life-style, world information, and extra—delivering each breaking updates and in-depth evaluation throughout Fox Information Digital. You’ll be able to comply with her on Twitter and LinkedIn.
