A man has been charged with the murder of two Israeli embassy employees outside the Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. on Thursday. The charges include murdering foreign officials, according to court documents.
Elias Rodriguez, 30, is expected to make his first court appearance following an incident at the museum Wednesday night, which involved a young couple working at the embassy and 26-year-old Sarah Lynn Milgrim. After his arrest, Rodriguez reportedly shouted “Free, free Palestine.”
He faces five charges in total, including two counts of first-degree murder, using a firearm to cause death, and discharging a firearm during violent crimes, as detailed in a criminal complaint.
Authorities indicated that Rodriguez approached a group of four individuals leaving the event shortly after 9 PM on Wednesday. He fired at close range, resulting in the deaths of Lisinski and Milgrim, before entering the museum where he was apprehended.
This incident prompted strong reactions from various leaders. Both President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the killings, labeling them as acts of anti-Semitism.
Trump voiced his outrage on social media, stating, “These horrible DC murders, clearly based on anti-Semitism, have to end now!”
Netanyahu referred to the attacks as “the horrific price of anti-Semitism and wild agitation against Israel.”
According to the FBI, early indications suggest that the shooting may have been a targeted act of violence.
The Israeli ambassador to the U.S., Yetiel Reiter, revealed that the victim was reportedly planning to propose soon, stating that Lisinski had already bought a ring and intended to present it in Jerusalem the following week.
