The US Justice Department announced on Friday that it will seek the death penalty for Elias Rodriguez, the man accused of fatally shooting two staff members of the Israeli Embassy in Washington. The incident occurred outside the Capital Jewish Museum in May 2025, where Rodriguez allegedly targeted Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim as they left an event.
Details of the Attack
According to prosecutors, Rodriguez shouted “Free Palestine” during the shooting and later told police, “I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza.” The indictment includes federal hate crime and murder charges, with special findings that allow the pursuit of the death penalty. Rodriguez faces a hate crime resulting in death, which requires proving antisemitic motivation.
Lischinsky, an Israeli citizen working in the US, and Milgrim, a US citizen, were described as a young couple about to become engaged. Prosecutors allege the attack was calculated and planned, with Rodriguez flying from Chicago to Washington with a handgun in his checked luggage. Witnesses reported him pacing outside the museum before approaching a group of four people and opening fire. Surveillance video shows Rodriguez advancing closer to the victims as they fell, leaning over them, and firing additional shots. He then reloaded and jogged off, officials said.
Aftermath and Legal Proceedings
After the shooting, Rodriguez entered the museum and said, “I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza, I am unarmed,” according to court documents. He also expressed admiration for an Air Force member who set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in February 2024, calling him “courageous” and a “martyr.” In Friday's court filing, prosecutors stated that Rodriguez's actions were “motivated by political, ideological, national, and religious bias, contempt, and hatred.” They argued that he targeted individuals perceived to have attended an event for young Jewish professionals to amplify the impact of his crimes.
US Attorney Jeanine Pirro stated, “My message to anyone who seeks to commit political violence in this district — D.C. is not the place. You will be held accountable and you will face the full wrath of the law.” Defense attorneys for Rodriguez did not respond to requests for comment. A meeting with Justice Department officials weeks earlier allowed defense attorneys to present evidence against the death penalty. The next court appearance for Rodriguez is scheduled for June 30, with no trial date set yet.
