Suspect charged with murdering Israeli Embassy staff could face death penalty
Elias Rodriguez, the man accused of fatally shooting two Israeli Embassy employees outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night, could potentially face the death penalty if convicted, according to a recently unsealed FBI affidavit.
Rodriguez, 31, has been formally charged with the murder of foreign officials, a federal capital offense, along with multiple firearm-related counts and two counts of first-degree murder. If found guilty of either of the first two charges, he could be sentenced to death. Under D.C. law, a conviction for first-degree murder carries a minimum sentence of 30 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life behind bars.
A surveillance footage showed Rodriguez, who was wearing a blue jacket with a hood, a large dark-colored backpack, and blue pants, approaching the victims, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, from behind as they were about to enter a crosswalk. Without any provocation, Rodriguez drew a 9 mm handgun and opened fire on the couple. He continued shooting even after the victims collapsed, with Milgrim trying to crawl away but being relentlessly pursued by Rodriguez.
Rodriguez paused to reload his weapon and then fired at Milgrim again before fleeing toward the museum’s entrance. Authorities recovered 21 shell casings, an empty handgun, and a discarded magazine at the scene. Milgrim was taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia, where she was pronounced dead at 9:35 p.m. Lischinsky was also pronounced dead at 9:14 p.m.
Rodriguez did not resist arrest when the Metropolitan Police Department’s approached him. He allegedly told them, \”I did it for Palestine. I did it for Gaza. I am unarmed,\” and later shouted, \”Free Palestine,\” as he was taken into custody. Witnesses reported seeing Rodriguez wearing a red keffiyeh, a head covering associated with Palestinian protesters.
In an interview with law enforcement, Rodriguez expressed admiration for a protester who self-immolated outside the Israeli Embassy in 2024, calling the act courageous and referring to the individual as a \”martyr.\” He admitted to purchasing a ticket for the Israeli event three hours before the shooting, and he legally transported the firearm used in the attack as checked luggage from Chicago to Washington, D.C.
Jeanine Pirro, the interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Washington, addressed the tragic incident, stating that the community is reeling from Rodriguez’s actions. Rodriguez, who hails from Chicago, Illinois, is now facing charges including murder of foreign officials, causing death through the use of a firearm, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, and two counts of first-degree murder.
The families of the victims, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, are left to grieve for the dreams that will never be realized. Rodriguez is currently being held without bond as he awaits trial, scheduled for June 18. The investigation into this senseless act of violence continues as the community mourns the loss of two promising lives taken too soon.
