Washington, DC – It happened just after a diplomatic reception when Elias Rodriguez allegedly opened fire on four Israeli Embassy staffers outside the Capital Jewish Museum, killing two and now facing federal hate crime charges.
Rodriguez, who had previously been charged with murder and firearms offenses, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Wednesday on additional counts including hate crimes and assault with intent to kill.
According to federal prosecutors, Rodriguez bought a ticket to the May 21 American Jewish Committee’s Young Diplomats Reception, specifically targeting attendees after reviewing the AJC’s support for Israel.
Prosecutors allege Rodriguez waited for the event to end before confronting Yaron Lischinsky, Sarah Milgrim, and two others — all Israeli Embassy employees — as they exited the museum. Rodriguez allegedly fired about 20 rounds, killing Lischinsky and Milgrim. The other two individuals were unharmed.
Authorities say Rodriguez immediately surrendered to a police officer nearby, stating, “I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza.” Investigators later found a message on his social media account where he had previously called for violence against Israelis.
Rodriguez now faces multiple federal charges, including murder of a foreign official and hate-motivated violent acts. The case is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.
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Key Points
- Elias Rodriguez indicted for killing two Israeli Embassy staffers in DC on May 21
- Federal hate crime charges added, citing anti-Israel motivation
- Rodriguez allegedly fired 20 shots after diplomatic event and confessed to police
