The alleged shooter of the Jewish museum charged for assassinations – Liberation
The man identified by police like Elias Rodriguez, 31, was charged Thursday, May 22, in the evening for the assassination of two employees of the Israel Embassy near the Jewish Museum in Washington. A judge ordered his placement in detention and set a new hearing in mid-June. But the federal police, the FBI, considers this attack as an act of terrorism, and additional expenses could be selected against the accused.
The attack occurred late Wednesday near the Jewish Museum capital, located in the center of Washington, not far from the Capitol and the White House. The museum hosted a reception of a Jewish organization. The suspect, from Chicago, would have acted alone, said Minister of Justice Pam Bondi, visiting the site.
Israel’s ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter said that the two victims were « A young couple about to get engaged ». The Israeli authorities have identified them as Yaron Lischinsky, an Israeli – also holding a German passport according to Berlin – and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, American citizen of Jewish faith.
Yaron Lischinsky was a research assistant at the Israel Embassy, while Sarah Lynn Milgrim worked in the public diplomacy service, according to their LinkedIn profiles.
According to the accusation document consulted by AFP, the museum’s video surveillance images show the suspect turning to shoot the victims’ back, then completing them coldly once they fell to the ground. Investigators found the crime location in total 21 sockets of a 9 millimeter caliber pistol.
According to witnesses, the suspect was initially taken for a victim by the staff responsible for security, who brought him into the museum. « I guess they thought he was a victim. (…) They made it sit down. + How are you ? You were injured ? What happened ? + And he answered + Call the cops + ! ”, told a witness.
He would have released a keffieh and said « It was I who did it, I did it for Gaza »said another witness. On a video circulating on social networks, we see a bearded man cry out « Free, release Palestine »before being taken.
Donald Trump and Benyamin Netanyahu both denounced an anti -Semitic assault, the Israeli Prime Minister also giving order Thursday to strengthen the security of all diplomatic representations of his country in the world.
This attack caused a fever access between France and Israel, including the head of diplomacy accused European countries « To encourage hatred » Due to their war reviews in Gaza, In the grip of a catastrophic humanitarian situation. Accusations rejected with force by Paris, denouncing « Completely outrageous and perfectly unjustified words ».
Since the attacks on October 7, 2023 of Hamas against Israel and Israeli response on Gaza, the United States has experienced a sharp increase in anti-Semitic acts, denounced by the authorities.
