Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, May 23: A brutal shooting outside a Jewish museum in the US capital has sent shockwaves across diplomatic circles and Jewish communities worldwide, as federal authorities announced criminal charges against Elias Rodriguez, 31, for the fatal attack on two Israeli Embassy staff members.

The victims, identified as Israeli citizen Yaron Lischinsky and American national Sarah Milgrim, were leaving a cultural event on Wednesday evening when Rodriguez allegedly opened fire, shouting ‘Free Palestine’ and later telling police, “I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza.” The attack is being treated as a targeted act of terror, officials confirmed on Thursday.

US attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, condemned the act, stating, “Violence against anyone, based on their religion is an act of cowardice. It is not an act of a hero. Antisemitism will not be tolerated, especially in the nation’s capital.”

According to court documents, surveillance footage captured Rodriguez firing multiple times at the victims even after they collapsed. He reportedly bought tickets to the museum event just hours before the shooting and expressed admiration for a man who had self-immolated outside the Israeli Embassy in February 2024, referring to him as ‘a courageous martyr.’

Prosecutors have charged Rodriguez with the murder of foreign officials and indicated that further charges are being considered as the investigation continues into potential hate crime and terrorism motives.

Ambassador Yechiel Leiter, Israel’s top diplomat in the US, mourned the tragic loss of the young couple. Lischinsky had planned to propose to Milgrim next week in Jerusalem. “They were full of life, planning their future together,” he said, adding that the embassy has lowered its flags to half-staff and heightened security.

The attack comes amid soaring tensions in the Middle East as Israel intensifies its military operations in Gaza, fueling global concerns over rising antisemitism and violence targeting Jewish communities abroad.