DC Shooter Who Murdered Israeli Diplomats Could Face Death Penalty

Elias Rodriguez, the 31-year-old man who executed two Israeli Embassy staffers in cold blood outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., could face the death penalty, according to a newly unsealed FBI affidavit.

Rodriguez is now charged with the murder of foreign officials, a federal capital offense, as well as first-degree murder and multiple firearms charges following his ideologically motivated attack on Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim a young couple who were about to be engaged and serving in diplomatic roles for Israel.

Rodriguez didn’t just kill. He hunted, following the couple from behind, then opened fire without provocation, authorities say. According to surveillance footage and witness accounts detailed in the affidavit:

• Rodriguez approached silently, then drew a 9mm handgun.

• After both victims collapsed, he moved closer and kept firing, even as Milgrim tried to crawl away.

• He paused to reload and then fired again, methodically ensuring both were dead.

Police recovered 21 shell casings, a handgun, and a discarded magazine at the scene.

This wasn’t an act of passion or confusion. This was pre-meditated terror. Rodriguez bought a ticket to the Jewish event just hours before opening fire, flew in from Chicago with his firearm legally checked in his luggage, and deliberately targeted Israeli nationals.

When police confronted him at the scene, Rodriguez reportedly declared:

“I did it for Palestine. I did it for Gaza. I am unarmed.”

He later shouted, “Free Palestine,” and expressed admiration for the man who self-immolated outside the Israeli Embassy in 2024, calling the act “courageous” and referring to him as a “martyr.”

Rodriguez wore a red keffiyeh, a symbol increasingly associated with pro-Hamas and anti-Israel extremism, further confirming the ideological motive behind the attack.

Who were the victims?

• Yaron Lischinsky, 31, was an Israeli citizen and dual national, officially recognized by the U.S. State Department as an “official guest.” A Christian and IDF veteran, Lischinsky had dedicated his life to peace-building and diplomacy.

• Sarah Milgrim, 26, a Kansas City native, worked full-time in the Israeli Embassy’s Public Diplomacy department. She was passionate about religious engagement and Middle East peacebuilding.

They were gunned down at close range their only crime: being Jewish representatives of Israel.

Under D.C. law, first-degree murder carries a sentence of 30 years to life, but federal charges tied to diplomatic assassination allow for the death penalty. Rodriguez has waived his right to a detention hearing and will remain behind bars until his next court appearance on June 18.

“Two families are now left to grieve for dreams that will never be realized,” said interim U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro during a press briefing.

This case has all the hallmarks of a terror attack, driven by leftist ideology, anti-Semitic hatred, and a willingness to execute civilians for political symbolism. The Biden administration has so far offered little leadership, while members of Congress like Ilhan Omar have dodged direct questions about the attack, offering only vague “thoughts and prayers” in the aftermath.

Let’s be absolutely clear: this was domestic terrorism and it happened on American soil, under a White House that has tolerated and excused pro-Hamas rhetoric since October 7.

The victims deserved better. And so does this country.

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