Two Israeli Embassy Staff Killed In Targeted Attack; Suspect Yelled "Free Palestine"
Israeli embassy employees Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim were identified Thursday as the victims in the fatal Wednesday night shooting outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. They were attending an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee for young diplomats and Jewish professionals. Attendees say the event was aimed at, among other things, coordinating humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza.
Authorities believe the suspect, 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez of Chicago, “targeted” the event and acted alone. In the chaos after the shooting, event attendees said Rodriguez was actually confused for a bystander and welcomed into the museum following the attack.
“We thought he was a bystander in what we thought was larger D.C. crime. People brought him water, making sure that he was OK,” event attendee Yoni River Kalin said on MSNBC.
Video taken as Rodriguez was arrested shows him chanting "Free, free Palestine" as police led him away from the scene in handcuffs. He told police he “did it for Gaza.” On Thursday afternoon, Rodriguez was charged with multiple federal crimes, including two counts of first-degree murder, murder of foreign officials, and using a firearm during a violent crime. He could still face hate crime charges. With some of the charges he already faces, if convicted, he could face the death penalty.
THE VICTIMS
Yaron Lischinsky, 30, was an Israeli citizen and worked as a research assistant in the embassy’s political department. Sarah Milgrim, 26, was from Kansas and organized trips to Israel. They were set to get engaged next week, according to Israel’s ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter.
WHAT’S NEXT
Attorney General Pam Bondi vowed Thursday to prosecute the suspected shooter to the “fullest extent of the law.” Authorities are reviewing writings they believe belong to Rodriguez, including social media posts that indicate a motivation to act on behalf of the Palestinian people.
Wednesday night’s shooting comes as antisemitic incidents in the U.S. have hit a record high since the October 2023 Hamas attack in Israel, according to an Anti-Defamation League Center for Extremism report.
More than 9,000 antisemitic incidents were reported across the U.S. in 2024, a 5% increase from the year prior, which also saw a large increase. It marks the highest total of incidents since tracking began in 1979, and shows a 893% increase over the past decade.
