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Suspect charged with murdering Israeli Embassy staff could face death penalty
Elias RodriguezThe person who’s accused of the deadly capturing of two Israeli embassy staff outdoors the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC, may expertise the dying penalty on Wednesday night if he’s convicted, in line with a brand new non -closed FBI -required assertion.
Rodriguez, 31, is accused of the homicide of overseas officers, a federal capital delict, along with a number of firearm -related counts and two counts of homicide within the first diploma.
If convicted for one of many first two counts, he may face the dying penalty. In accordance with the DC legislation, a conviction for homicide within the first diploma has a minimal punishment of 30 years in jail and a most life sentence behind bars.
Rodriguez deserted his proper to a detention listening to and can be held with out a tire whereas ready for the method. He was ordered to the court docket on June 18 for a provisional listening to.
Police Raid DC shoot suspected Elias Rodriguez’s Chicago apartment
Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim have been shot and killed once they left an occasion within the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington on 21 Might 2025. (Embassy from Israel to the US by way of X/Handout by way of Reuters)
The capturing was organized on Wednesday night throughout an occasion by the American Jewish Committee, which introduced Jewish professionals and members of the diplomatic neighborhood collectively.
In accordance with the sworn assertion, one of many victims, Yaron Lischinsky, 31, was an Israeli citizen who had obtained the standing of the “official visitor” by the US Division of Overseas Affairs. The opposite sufferer, Sarah Milgrim, 26, was additionally employed by the Israeli embassy. The younger couple can be concerned.
Surveillance photographs, in line with the sworn clarification, confirmed a suspect who wore a blue jacket with a hood, a big darkish -colored backpack and blue pants, which approached the couple from behind once they have been about to enter a pedestrian crossing.
Researchers say that Rodriguez pulled a 9 mm gun and opened a fireplace with out provocation.
After the victims collapsed, he got here nearer and he saved capturing, stated the assertion. Milgrim tried to crawl away, however Rodriguez saved capturing at her.
Researchers say that Rodriguez simply reloaded after which once more on her lap earlier than he fled to the museum’s entrance. Authorities have recovered 21 Shell -Omhulsels, an empty gun and a thrown away journal on web site.
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A provisional post-mortem confirmed that Milgrim suffered from a number of shot wounds. She was introduced out of stage by the District of Columbia’s Fireplace and Emergency Medical Companies (DCFEMS) to the workplace of the Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia. She was declared useless at 9.35 pm on Wednesday. Post-mortem outcomes are being handled.
Lischinsky was declared useless by DCFEMS on Wednesday at 9.14 pm. His post-mortem outcomes are being handled.
Elias Rodriguez is suspected of the deadly capturing of the Israeli embassy employees in Washington, DC, on Might 21, 2025. (Instagram/@shinewithisrael)
Rodriguez didn’t oppose the arrest. When members of the primary district of the metropolitan police arrived at 9.08 pm and Rodriguez approached, he stated: “I did it for Palestine. I did it for Gaza. I’m unarmed, ‘and later shouted’, ‘Free Palestine’, whereas he was arrested.
Researchers stated they spoke with witnesses who reported that the suspect was sporting a purple Keffiyeh, a head cowl that’s typically related to Palestinian demonstrators.
Members of the Misaskim group on Might 22, 2025, clear blood from the bottom the place two Israeli embassy employees have been shot useless within the neighborhood of the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC. (Reuters/Evelyn Hockstein)
In an interview with legislation enforcement, Rodriguez reportedly expressed admiration for a demonstrator who was in 2024 outdoors the Israeli embassy outdoors the Israeli embassy, by calling the act brave and saying that the person was a ‘martyr’.
The sworn assertion stated that Rodriguez advised the authorities that he purchased a ticket for the Israeli occasion three hours earlier than he opened the hearth on Lischinsky and Milgrim.
Federal authorities say that Rodriguez from Chicago to Washington, DC, the Day before the shooting and legally transported the firearm used within the assault as checked baggage.
The weapon was legally bought in Illinois in 2020.
From campus protests to fatal violence: staff of Israeli embassy murdered in DC
Interim American lawyer for the Washington Jeanine Pirro district speaks throughout a press replace concerning the deadly capturing of two Israeli embassy employees of the Ministry of Justice in Washington, DC, on 22 Might 2025. (Drew Angerer/AFP by way of Getty photographs)
Talking throughout a press replace on Thursday, interim American lawyer for the Washington district Jeanine Pirro stated the neighborhood “Shalling because of the actions of 1 particular person.”
“There at the moment are two households to grieve for goals that may by no means be realized,” she stated.
“And as I’m talking now, there’s a one who is introduced and accused of varied crimes in court docket. The thirty -one -year -old Elias Rodriguez of Chicago, Illinois, is now being charged by complaints after his first look for the American Justice of the Peace Choose Matthew Sharp.”
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Rodriguez is accused of homicide of overseas officers as a result of one of many victims was an Israeli citizen and labeled as an “official visitor” of the US by the Ministry of Overseas Affairs.
He’s additionally accused of inflicting an individual’s dying through the use of a firearm, discharging a firearm throughout a criminal offense of violence and two counts of homicide within the first diploma.