Washington, United States – Elias Rodriguez faces murder and other charges after allegedly gunning down two Israeli embassy staffers outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington.
Rodriguez, 31, traveled to Washington from Chicago on Tuesday with a legally purchased gun in his checked baggage. He was in town to attend a work conference.
On Wednesday evening, the American Jewish Committee hosted a mixer at the Capital Jewish Museum. The Young Diplomats Reception went until 9 pm (0100 GMT Thursday) and aimed to “bring together Jewish young professionals and the DC diplomatic community.”
At 9:08 pm, Metropolitan Police responded to reports of a shooting. Officers found Israeli embassy staffers Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim had been shot.
Surveillance video showed a person wearing clothing consistent with Rodriguez’s appearance approach the museum, where the victims were standing outside and preparing to enter a crosswalk.
The suspect walked past Lischinsky and Milgrim, then turned to shoot them in their backs, “firing several times,” the complaint said.
“Once the decedents fell to the ground, Rodriguez is captured on video advancing closer… leaning over them… and firing several more times,” the complaint said.
Rodriguez reloaded and fired several more times.
21 bullets
He was then seen “jogging” in the direction of the museum entrance.
A witness told police he saw Rodriguez throw something, and police recovered a gun from the area.
When police arrived, Rodriguez said “he ‘did it’ and that he was unarmed.”
Rodriguez had a red keffiyeh and “spontaneously stated on scene to MPD, ‘I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza, I am unarmed.'”
He shouted “Free Palestine” as police arrested him.
At 9:14 pm, Lischinsky, an Israeli citizen and an “official guest” of the US government, was pronounced dead on the scene from gunshot wounds.
At 9:35 pm, Milgrim, an American employed by the Israeli embassy, was transported from the scene and pronounced dead after suffering multiple gunshot wounds.
Forensic analysis revealed Rodriguez fired 21 bullets from a 9 mm handgun, which he purchased legally in Illinois in 2020.
During an interview with police, Rodriguez expressed admiration for Aaron Bushnell, the former US serviceman who self-immolated outside the Israeli embassy in Washington, calling him a “martyr.”
