Key Events and Charges
On Thursday, the prosecution charged Elias Rodriguez, 30, from Chicago, with two counts of first-degree murder and killing foreign officials following a shooting near the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., which left two Israel Embassy employees dead.
Rodriguez allegedly shouted “Palestine free” as he was being arrested, sparking international tensions regarding antisemitism. He faces potential capital punishment if convicted.
Investigation Details
The shooting is being investigated as an act of terrorism and a hate crime, according to interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro. Additional charges may be added as the investigation progresses, with a preliminary hearing set for June 18.
Victims and International Reactions
Israel identified the victims as Yaron Lischinsky, an Israeli national, and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, a U.S.-based embassy employee who were planning to marry. The incident ignited international outrage.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar blamed European criticism of Israel’s intensified offensive in Gaza for the attack, stating a direct link between anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli incitement and the murders.
French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Christophe Lemoine called Saar’s comments “scandalous” and “unjustified.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the “terrible price of anti-Semitism” and denounced “wild incitement against the State of Israel.”
U.S. President Donald Trump, after speaking with Netanyahu, tweeted that the attack was clearly anti-Semitic.
Context and Growing Antisemitism
The shooting occurred days after the museo received a security enhancement grant. It took place amid rising antisemitism following Israel’s devastating Gaza invasion in October 2023, which resulted in over 1,200 deaths and 251 kidnappings, according to Israeli data.
Tensions have escalated globally due to Israel’s retaliation campaign against Hamas, causing at least 53,762 deaths in Gaza, as reported by the Palestinian health ministry.
Reactions from the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, and the UAE condemned the murders. However, Netanyahu accused France, the U.K., and Canada of emboldening Hamas militants, suggesting they want Israel to accept Hamas’s survival and growth.
“The Antisemitism”
According to police reports, Rodriguez was seen walking near the museo before the shooting. He approached his victims from behind, firing 21 shots. He continued shooting as they lay on the ground and targeted Milgrim while she tried to escape.
Witnesses initially mistook Rodriguez for a victim and allowed him entry into the museo, where he was consoled by passersby.
Victims’ Backgrounds
Yaron Lischinsky was an Israeli embassy researcher, while Sarah Lynn Milgrim worked in the embassy’s public diplomacy department, according to their LinkedIn profiles.
A crowd gathered at the museo on Thursday to sing and pray.
“Obviously, war is horrible,” Gil Livni told AFP. “But antisemitism, I feel it every day… Friends have shown themselves to be anti-Semitic. It has become the norm.”
