The US Justice Department announced on Friday that it will pursue the death penalty against Elias Rodriguez, the man charged with fatally shooting two Israeli embassy employees outside Washington DC's Capital Jewish Museum in May 2025. Prosecutors described the attack as calculated and premeditated, motivated by antisemitism.
Details of the Attack
Rodriguez faces federal hate crime and murder charges for the deaths of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, a young couple who were about to become engaged. The shooting occurred as they left an event at the museum on 21 May 2025. According to the indictment, Rodriguez shouted “free Palestine” during the attack and later told police, “I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza.”
Prosecutors allege that Rodriguez flew from Chicago to the Washington region with a handgun in his checked luggage. Witnesses reported seeing him pacing outside the museum before approaching a group of four people and opening fire. Surveillance footage showed Rodriguez advancing toward Lischinsky and Milgrim as they fell to the ground, leaning over them, and firing additional shots. He then reloaded before fleeing the scene on foot.
Legal Proceedings
The charges include a hate crime resulting in death, and the indictment contains special findings that allow prosecutors to seek capital punishment. US Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, stated at a news conference, “My message to anyone who seeks to commit political violence in this district – DC is not the place. You will be held accountable and you will face the full wrath of the law.”
To secure a hate crime conviction, prosecutors must prove that Rodriguez was motivated by antisemitism when he allegedly targeted Lischinsky and Milgrim. Milgrim was a US citizen, while Lischinsky was an Israeli citizen working in the US. The killings sparked bipartisan outrage among lawmakers in the nation's capital.
Aftermath and Statements
Following the shooting, Rodriguez entered the museum and reportedly said, “I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza, I am unarmed,” according to court documents. He also told detectives that he admired an active-duty air force member who set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in February 2024, describing the man as “courageous” and a “martyr.”
The decision to seek the death penalty underscores the severity of the crime and the Justice Department's commitment to addressing politically motivated violence. The case continues to draw national attention as it progresses through the federal court system.
