Elias rodriguez, a 31-year-old from chicago, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder following a deadly shooting on may 21, 2025, near the capital jewish museum in washington, d.C. The victims, yaron lischinsky and sarah milgrim, were staff members at the israeli embassy and were leaving a community event hosted by the american jewish committee when they were fatally shot.
Rodriguez was apprehended by event security after allegedly shouting “free, free palestine!” during the attack. He has also been charged with murder of foreign officials and firearm-related offenses. Authorities believe the act was targeted violence, though not aimed at specific individuals in advance. The fbi is investigating the incident as a possible hate crime.
The victims were believed to be in the process of getting married and had been attending a “young diplomats reception” at the museum. The deaths of these individuals have received widespread criticism from the international community, with Israeli officials accusing the incident of being motivated by antisemitism. U.S. President Donald Trump condemned the killings, urging an end to hatred and violence.
Rodriguez forfeited his right to a detention hearing during his court appearance on May 22, 2025. A preliminary hearing is set to take place on June 18, 2025.
PeopleCom:
This devastating incident has intensified worries about the increasing instances of antisemitism and targeted violence in the United States. Security measures at Israeli missions worldwide have been heightened since the incident.
The Washington Post.
