Chicago Man Charged with Terrorism in Embassy Shooting

A man from Chicago has been charged with multiple terrorism offenses following the shooting that resulted in the deaths of two Israeli embassy staff members outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. Prosecutors argue that this tragic incident was a deliberate attack aimed at instilling fear in the Jewish community.

Elias Rodriguez, 31, faces a 13-count indictment that was revealed on Wednesday in U.S. District Court. This indictment stems from the shooting incident that occurred on May 21, targeting two employees of the Israeli embassy.

Previously, Rodriguez had been charged with murder of a foreign official, using a firearm resulting in death, and discharging a firearm during a violent crime. Additional charges include federal hate crime manslaughter, double counts of first-degree premeditated murder while armed, and assault with intent to kill while armed.

The new indictment introduces four counts of terroristic acts while armed, in addition to two counts each of first-degree murder and assault with the intent to kill.

According to legal documents, Rodriguez approached Yaron Lisinski, 30, and Sarah Milgrim, 26, as they exited a Young Diplomats Reception at the museum. Witnesses report he fired approximately 20 rounds from a semi-automatic handgun, shouting, “Liberate Palestine!” during the attack.

After the shooting, it’s alleged he entered the museum, displayed a red keffiyeh, and remarked, “I did it for Palestine. I did it for Gaza.”

As authorities escorted him from the scene, reports indicate he criticized the remaining attendees, shouting messages like “Shame on you” and “Shame on you for the Zionazi terrorism.”

Lisinski and Milgrim tragically lost their lives in this violent act, while two other embassy staff members thankfully survived the ordeal.

Darren Cox, the FBI’s Washington field office deputy director, noted that alongside the shooting, Rodriguez allegedly authored and published a manifesto that attempted to justify his actions and incite others toward political violence.

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Feliz Pirro stated that Rodriguez would not escape accountability for his “horrific and targeted act of terrorism.”

Lisinski, who was in the U.S. on official duties, was an Israeli citizen and government worker. Meanwhile, Milgrim, residing in Overland Park, Kansas, was also affiliated with the Israeli embassy.

Significantly, the charges against Rodriguez could result in the death penalty or life imprisonment.