Far-Left Activist Charged In Jewish Museum Killings, Shot Couple Multiple Times As They ‘Attempted To Crawl Away’

Update(1817ET): Elias Rodriguez, a 30-year old man from Chicago, has been charged in last night’s fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy employees in Washington, outside an event hosted at the Jewish Museum.

He is accused of opening fire on an entire group of people who were exiting an event hosted by an advocacy group that supports Israel. He faces two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Sarah Lynn Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky.

Court filing shows brutal execution-style murders, after which Rodriguez shouted “free Palestine!” as police apprehended him and took him away.

He shot the young woman in the back after she was hit the first time, and as she struggled to stay alive.

The newly filed charges filed against Elias Rodriguez expose the depravity and callousness of the murders. He didn’t just kill Sarah and Yaron- he made sure to finish them.

He followed Sarah as she crawled away in agony after he shot her. He followed her and shot her again. He… pic.twitter.com/T2gjBzlmKR

— Marina Medvin 🇺🇸 (@MarinaMedvin) May 22, 2025

The court document filed by the FBI indicates that Rodriguez told officers on the scene of the shooting: “I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza, I am unarmed.” He was reportedly holding a red keffiyeh as he said this “spontaneously” to law enforcement on the scene.

In a briefing, the FBI’s Steve Jensen has said the shooter was not previously known to the FBI, and that analysts are currently combing through his social media profiles. They said it’s believed the man had traveled to D.C. initially for a work conference.

And as expected, Rodriguez appears to be an ANTIFA radical and avowed communist, based on initial findings from his online history…

Elias Rodriguez, the Chicago far-left activist accused of shooting dead two Israelis outside the Capital Jewish Museum, has a long history of support for BLM, Palestine, communist and anti-white causes.

Those groups have been trying to scrub his associations with them by… https://t.co/DvtdsH23ie pic.twitter.com/34QRe5Yogo

— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) May 22, 2025

Interim US Attorney for the District of Washington Jeanine Pirro said in a press briefing the president and attorney general have indicated that in cases where the death penalty is warranted and seems appropriate, it will be used.

“It’s far too early to say whether that is the case, but this is a death penalty eligible case,” she said.

According to more details via the BBC:

• Interim US Attorney for the District of Washington Jeanine Pirro said the shooting was being investigated as an act of terrorism and that more charges may be added
• Pirro said it was “far too early” to say if they would seek the death penalty, but that it was a “death penalty eligible case”
• The FBI’s Steve Jensen said the suspect Elias Rodriguez was not known to the bureau, but investigators are looking at his social media accounts and contacting his associates
• The FBI believe Rodriguez travelled to DC for a work conference one day before the attack
• Police chief Pamela A Smith said there would be an increased presence of law enforcement in the area

* * *

Late Wednesday evening there is currently a massive ongoing police response in northwest Washington DC outside the Capital Jewish Museum, after gunfire erupted just outside which killed two staff members of the Israeli Embassy.

“Two Israeli Embassy staff were senselessly killed tonight near the Jewish Museum in Washington DC,” Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem confirmed in a post on X. “We are actively investigating and working to get more information to share.”

The shooting occurred across the street from the FBI’s Washington Field Office, which is located very near to the museum, and Israeli embassy officials are working with local law enforcement and the FBI.

It has further been confirmed that the Israeli ambassador is safe, and was not involved in the incident, and was not present at the time of the shooting.

Underscoring the seriousness of the killings, which appear to have targeted an event which took place at the Jewish Museum, US Attorney General Pam Bondi amd acting US Attorney for DC Jeanine Pirro are currently on the scene in the aftermath. 

🚨BREAKING: Israeli diplomat and companion fatally shot outside the Capital Jewish museum in Washington, D.C., gunman reportedly yelled “Free Palestine!” pic.twitter.com/nHMVK0fCcL

— Liberty Watch (@LibertyWatchHQ) May 22, 2025

Ted Deutch, the CEO of the American Jewish Committee, has described that his organization was hosting an event at the museum and has issued an initial statement:

“We are devastated that an unspeakable act of violence took place outside the venue.”

“At this moment, as we await more information from the police about exactly what transpired, our attention and our hearts are solely with those who were harmed and their families.”

Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, has also issued a statement calling it a “depraved act of anti-Semitic terrorism”:

The fatal shooting that took place outside the event that took place at the Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. is a depraved act of anti-Semitic terrorism. Harming the Jewish community is crossing a red line. We are confident that the US authorities will take strong action against… pic.twitter.com/mVyXHjGyxU

— Danny Danon 🇮🇱 דני דנון (@dannydanon) May 22, 2025

Reports say that a suspect may be in custody, but it is unclear as the security situation is fluid amid the ongoing emergency response.

One man and one woman were shot and killed outside of an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, law enforcement sources told ABC News.

The suspect in the shooting has been identified as a 30-year-old man from Chicago, Washington, D.C. Police Chief Pam Smith said.

“Two staff members of the Israeli embassy were shot this evening at close range while attending a Jewish event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington DC,” the spokesperson at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, Tal Naim Cohen, said in a statement on Wednesday night. –ABC News

There are unconfirmed reports that a gunmen screamed “free Palestine” and opened fire:

❗️Suspect opened FIRE before screaming ‘Free Palestine’ — reports

Police have suspect in custody https://t.co/bWKjii0Hon pic.twitter.com/6F8v9S7e0x

— RT (@RT_com) May 22, 2025

Houman David Hemmati, who is connected to the event at the Jewish Museum, writes on X:

Chaotic scene tonight inside Washington DC Capitol Jewish Museum where, just outside, 2 people (potentially Israeli diplomatic) who may have been attending an American Jewish Committee Young Diplomats event (one I organized years ago) shot & killed.

Tensions have been running high following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s declaration that a new phase of the Gaza War has begun, dubbed ‘Operation Gideon’s Chariots’ – which aims to fully eradicate Hamas and end in a full Israeli military takeover of the Gaza Strip.

Is this a return to a horrific summer of love?… amid boiling geopolitical tensions which threaten to erupt in a city near you.