Killed a Jewish couple in Washinton and yelled ‘Free Palestine!’. Elias Rodriguez charged with murder
A man born in Chicago, arrested as the only suspect for a shooting, killing two employees of the Israeli embassy in front of the Jewish Heritage Museum in Washington, was charged on Thursday in the Federal Court of two first -degree murders.
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A captured killer of two Israelites
Elias Rodriguez, 30, has been charged with opening fire on a group of people on Wednesday night while leaving the young diplomat event organized by the US Jewish Committee, a group that supports Israel and fights anti -Semitism. Officials said it was heard that « Slobodna Palestine » was chanted after it was detained. In addition to first -degree murder, Rodriguez is charged with killing foreign officials, causing death to fire weapons and cracking from firearms in a violent crime.
Rodriguez’s victims were identified as 30-year-old Yaron Lischinsky and 26-year-old Sarah Lynn Milgrim, a young couple who was supposed to get engaged. Friends and members of the groups they belonged said that the couple was dedicated to the construction of bridges between the Arabs and the Jews in the hope that bloodshed in the Middle East would stop.
After the shooting, the Israeli embassies around the world immediately increased security measures. Temporary US State Attorney for Washington District of Jeanine Pirro stated that shooting is being investigated as a terrorist act and that additional accusations may follow. Pirro said it was « too early » to say whether to seek a death sentence, but that it was « a case that fulfills the conditions for the death penalty. »
FBI official Steve Jensen said the suspect Elias Rodriguez is unknown to the office, but investigators review his social networks accounts and contact his associates. The FBI believes Rodriguez traveled to Washington to a work conference the day before the attack.
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino posted on social networks that investigators « know about certain writings that are claimed to have been written by the suspect. » It seems that Bongin’s statement relates to the manifesto signed by Rodriguez’s name published on an anonymous account on XU on Wednesday night just before the shooting. It condemns the Israeli killing of the Palestinians after the Hamas attack in October 2023 and discusses the moral of the « armed » action.
Israel faces a continuous international conviction for their escalating military offensives in Gaza, while Jewish advocates have warned of an increase in anti -Semitic incidents around the world. Investigators also explored the political affiliation of the suspect, who worked for a non -profit health organization and believed to have had anything to do with the ultimate left groups in the past.
Rodriguez was once associated with the ultimate left group in Chicago, the Socialism and Liberation Party (PSL), according to the announcement of the group on XU. The group said Rodriguez was briefly associated with a PSL branch and that they did not know for more than seven years about any contact with him.
« We have nothing to do with this shooting and we do not support it, » the organization said.
Rodriguez was also identified in local news from 2018. As a member of the Chicago branch of the national group called Answer, the acronym for acting now to stop the war and end racism, which organized demonstrations in solidarity with Palestinians. Answer did not immediately respond to the comment request.
