U.S. to Seek Death Penalty for Suspect in Murder of Israeli Embassy Staff
Justice Department to charge Washington shooter with federal hate crimes after deadly attack outside Jewish museum.
The U.S. Department of Justice is expected to seek the death penalty and federal hate crime charges against Elias Rodriguez, the suspect accused of killing two Israeli embassy employees in Washington, D.C., two sources familiar with the case told ABC News on Wednesday.
According to the sources, prosecutors plan to bring the charges before a grand jury later this week. Rodriguez, 31, of Chicago, allegedly opened fire near the Jewish Museum at Capitol Hill on May 22, killing 30-year-old Yaron Lishinsky and 26-year-old Sarah Milgram.
Witnesses say Rodriguez shouted “Free Palestine, free Palestine” as he was apprehended by security at the scene. Police later confirmed that he repeated the phrase during his arrest.
Details of the Attack
The victims were exiting a cultural event at the museum when Rodriguez approached their group and opened fire. According to Israel’s ambassador to the U.S., Michael Leitner, the couple had been planning to get engaged. Lishinsky had reportedly bought a ring just days earlier and intended to propose in Jerusalem.
An eyewitness, Yoni Kalin, told FOX5 that Rodriguez initially appeared distressed and wet from the rain. Security let him into the museum, thinking he was a victim. “He asked people to call the police, and when officers arrived, he said, ‘I did it.’ Then he pulled a red keffiyeh from his pocket and started shouting ‘Free Palestine, Intifada revolution,’” Kalin recalled.
Reaction and Mourning
In a statement, the Israeli Embassy said: “Yaron and Sarah were not just our colleagues, they were our friends. They were at the height of their lives. This evening, a terrorist shot and killed them as they were leaving a cultural event. The entire embassy staff is heartbroken and devastated by this murder. Words cannot express the depth of our sorrow. We stand with their families in this horrific time.”
Legal Proceedings Ahead
If charged as expected, Rodriguez will face federal hate crime indictments and the rare prospect of capital punishment, a measure the Justice Department has increasingly reserved for particularly egregious acts of terrorism or mass violence.
The case is expected to garner intense public and diplomatic attention as it moves forward in federal court.