What to Know About the Victims, Suspect, and Investigation Into the Shooting of Israeli Embassy Staff in D.C.

A suspect in the shooting of two Israeli embassy employees in Washington, D.C., Wednesday evening has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder, murder of foreign officials, and various firearms-related charges, and if convicted, he could face the death penalty.

“This is a horrific crime, and these crimes are not going to be tolerated by me and by this office,” U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro said in a press briefing Thursday. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”]

“Antisemitism will not be tolerated, especially in the nation’s capital,” she continued. “We’re going to continue to investigate this as a hate crime and a crime of terrorism, and we will add additional charges as the evidence warrants.”

Officials offered updated information on the shooting in the briefing around 5 p.m. local time on Thursday, building on previously released details during a midnight briefing, about three hours after the shooting took place. There is no continued threat to the public, according to authorities.

Here’s what we know so far about the victims, the suspect, and the ongoing investigation.

Who were the victims?

The shooting, which took place outside an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., in the area of 3rd and F Street NW, killed a man and a woman, who have been identified as 30-year-old Yaron Lischinsky and 26-year-old Sarah Lynn Milgrim. Lischinsky was also a German national, diplomatic sources told Reuters.

Before the victims were named, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted on X that they were “Israeli Embassy staff.” Yechiel Leiter, Israel’s ambassador to the U.S., said during the first briefing around midnight local time that the victims were a young couple about to be engaged who were attending the event as guests.

“Yaron and Sarah were our friends and colleagues. They were in the prime of their lives,” the Israel Embassy to the U.S. posted on X, alongside a photo of the couple. “This evening, a terrorist shot and killed them as they exited an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in D.C. The entire embassy staff is heartbroken and devastated by their murder. No words can express the depth of our grief and horror at this devastating loss. Our hearts are with their families, and the embassy will be by their side during this terrible time.”

Milgrim’s father, Robert Milgrim, told CBS News that she “loves Israel and she loved everybody that lived in the Middle East.” He said the couple had met while studying for a master’s degree at American University and that they had been planning to fly to Israel this weekend to meet Lischinsky’s family in Jerusalem, where Lischinsky was planning to propose.

“Words cannot begin to describe the heartbreak and sorrow,” Tal Naim, a spokesperson for the Israeli embassy in D.C. posted on X. “Just this morning, we were still laughing together by the coffee corner — and now, all that remains is a picture. Instead of walking you down the aisle, we are walking with you to your graves. What an unbearable loss.”

What do we know about the suspect?

Authorities arrested and have charged 31-year-old Elias Rodriguez as the sole suspect in connection with the shooting. 

Rodriguez was seen pacing back and forth outside the museum building before approaching a group of four people, producing a handgun, and opening fire, D.C. police chief Pamela A. Smith said at the midnight briefing. After the shooting, the suspect then entered the museum and, according to an eyewitness who spoke to CNN, initially claimed to be a witness before admitting that he was the shooter.

According to officials, Rodriguez chanted “Free, free Palestine,” before being detained by event security, which was also captured on video shared on social media. Rodriguez is now in police custody.

“I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza, I am unarmed,” Rodriguez said when he was taken into custody, according to an FBI affidavit. He was holding a red scarf that one witness identified as a kaffiyeh.

Smith did not initially comment on Rodriguez’s motive amid ongoing investigation, but she said that Rodriguez was not on police’s radar before the attack. 

Authorities reported during the later briefing on Thursday that Rodriguez was a resident of the Chicago area and came to D.C. for a conference on May 20 that they believe to be connected with his work, officials said during the Thursday afternoon briefing.

Rodriguez worked for the Chicago-based American Osteopathic Information Association (AOIA), a trade association that works to advance the use of information technology in osteopathic medicine, the organization confirmed in a statement Thursday.

“We were shocked and saddened to learn that an AOIA employee has been arrested as a suspect in this horrific crime,” American Osteopathic Association (AOA) President Teresa A. Hubka and CEO Kathleen S. Creason said. “Both the AOIA and AOA stand ready to cooperate with the investigation in any way we can. As a physician organization dedicated to protecting the health and sanctity of human life, we believe in the rights of all persons to live safely without fear of violence.”

Rodriguez, who graduated in 2018 with an English degree from the University of Illinois Chicago, previously worked as an oral history researcher for the website HistoryMakers, a nonprofit that aims to preserve the personal stories of African Americans, according to a LinkedIn profile matching his name and description.

Rodriguez was at one time associated with the far-left Party for Socialism and Liberation, but the group rejected any affiliation with the shooting. “Elias Rodriguez is not a member of the PSL,” the group posted on X. “He had a brief association with one branch of the PSL that ended in 2017. We know of no contact with him in over 7 years. We have nothing to do with this shooting and do not support it.”

Rodriguez also reportedly spoke at a 2017 protest against the police shooting of Laquan McDonald in Chicago as well as against Chicago’s bid for Amazon’s headquarters. The speech was described in an apparently since-deleted article in Liberation, the PSL’s newspaper, that quoted Rodriguez as asking whether people want “a nation of cities dominated and occupied by massive corporations where only the rich and white can live and the vast majority of us must live on edges of the city and society.”

How has Israel reacted?

“The people of Israel are resilient people, the people of the United States of America are resilient people. Together we won’t be afraid,” Leiter, the Israeli ambassador to the U.S., said at the midnight briefing in D.C. “Together, we’ll stand and we’re going to overcome the moral depravity of people who think that they’re going to achieve political gains through murder.”

“I am devastated by the scenes in Washington D.C.,” Israel’s President Isaac Herzog posted on X. “This is a despicable act of hatred, of antisemitism, which has claimed the lives of two young employees of the Israeli embassy. Our hearts are with the loved ones of those murdered and our immediate prayers are with the injured. I send my full support to the Ambassador and all the embassy staff. We stand with the Jewish community in D.C. and across the U.S. America and Israel will stand united in defense of our people and our shared values. Terror and hate will not break us.”

Israel’s ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon described the shooting as “a depraved act of antisemitic terrorism” in a post on X. “We are confident that the U.S. authorities will take strong action against those responsible for this criminal act,” Danon added. “Israel will continue to act resolutely to protect its citizens and representatives—everywhere in the world.”

“We are witness to the terrible cost of the antisemitism and wild incitement against the State of Israel. Blood libels against Israel have a cost in blood and must be fought to the utmost,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement. “My heart grieves for the families of the young beloveds, whose lives were cut short in a moment by an abhorrent antisemitic murderer,” he added. Netanyahu ordered security to be beefed up at Israeli diplomatic missions around the world and for Israeli representatives, according to the statement. 

“Israeli diplomats and representatives around the world stand on the frontlines of Israel’s diplomatic efforts—defending the country with their very lives,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry posted on X. We will not be deterred by terror. We will continue our mission across the globe, with unwavering commitment to represent Israel with pride.”

In a later statement on Thursday, Netanyahu drew a connection between the shooting and Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. “Yaron and Sarah weren’t the victims of a random crime. The terrorist who cruelly gunned them down did so for one reason and one reason alone – he wanted to kill Jews. And as he was taken away, he chanted, ‘Free Palestine!’” Netanyahu said. “This is exactly the same chant we heard on October 7th.”

The Israeli Prime Minister condemned the leaders of “France, Britain, Canada, and others” for supporting the recognition of a Palestinian state, while praising President Donald Trump and the American people for “their forthright stand with Israel and with the Jewish people.” France, the U.K., and Canada signed a joint letter earlier in the week condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza, calling for a ceasefire, and expressing support for a “two-state solution” that includes an independent Palestinian state.

Israeli left-wing opposition leader Yair Golan blamed Netanyahu’s government for the attack. Golan, leader of the Democrats and former deputy chief of staff of the Israeli army, posted on X that Netanyahu’s government “is the one that is fuelling antisemitism and hatred of Israel, and the result is unprecedented diplomatic isolation and danger to every Jew at every point on the globe.”

Leiter rejected the claim that the rise in antisemitism is due to Israel’s political actions. Instead, he reasserted to reporters, countries supporting the recognition of Palestine are responsible for the rise.

Others in the Israeli government blamed Golan for the attack after Golan said on Tuesday that Israel “kills babies as a pastime.” Heritage Minister Amichay Eliyahu posted on X: “Yair, the blood of the embassy employees is on your hands and on those of your friends.”

How has the U.S. responded?

“These horrible D.C. killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW!” Trump posted on Truth Social on Wednesday night. “Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA. Condolences to the families of the victims. So sad that such things as this can happen! God Bless You ALL!”

Trump spoke with Netanyahu on Thursday and discussed the shooting among other matters, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a White House press briefing.

Netanyahu said in a post on X that Trump expressed sorrow over the shooting and that he thanked Trump for his Administration’s efforts to combat antisemitism in the U.S.

At the midnight briefing, Attorney General Pam Bondi had said that local, state and federal agencies “will be doing everything in our power to keep all citizens safe, especially tonight, our Jewish community.”

“We will follow the facts, we will follow the law, and this defendant charged will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Bondi said.

Law enforcement agencies in the D.C. area, as well as other U.S. cities including New York and Chicago, announced they were increasing security at religious institutions following the shooting.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on X: “We condemn in the strongest possible terms the murder of two staff members from the Embassy of Israel in Washington, DC. Our prayers are with their loved ones. This was a brazen act of cowardly, antisemitic violence. Make no mistake: we will track down those responsible and bring them to justice.”

Read More: U.S. and Global Lawmakers Denounce ‘Antisemitic Violence’

What’s the status of the investigation?

Rodriguez’s charges were laid out in a criminal complaint. He was informed by U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew Sharbaugh during an initial appearance in federal court Thursday that some of the charges against him carry the possibility of the death penalty or life in prison, officials said in the briefing later that afternoon.

A preliminary hearing is set for June 18. Rodriguez did not object to remaining detained as the case proceeds, officials said. All homicides in D.C. are prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney for D.C., a role held since last week by Pirro, a former judge and Fox News host recently appointed by Trump.

FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino on Thursday morning posted on X that there were “early indicators” that the shooting was “an act of targeted violence.”

“We’re continuing to investigate and contact the subject’s associates, his family members and coworkers,” Steve Jensen, the assistant director in charge at the FBI’s Washington Field Office, said during the Thursday briefing. “We are also executing search warrants for his electronic devices, reviewing his social media accounts and all of his internet postings.”

Jensen added that authorities are “aware of some writings that are purported to have been authored by this subject” and are investigating to determine if he is the author. He said there are “gaps” in the investigation, and that the FBI is seeking assistance from the public in determining where Rodriguez was between landing in the D.C. area on May 20 and being taken into custody May 21.

The FBI’s Washington field office said in a post on X on Thursday morning that the Chicago field office was “conducting court-authorized law enforcement activity in the Chicago area” in relation to the shooting. In the window of a home linked to Rodriguez, a photo was displayed of six-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi, a Palestinian-American child who was murdered in a hate crime in Illinois in 2023, with the words “Justice for Wadea.”

What’s the wider global context?

The shooting comes amid rising tensions over Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza, which has left an estimated at least 50,000 Palestinians dead and millions more displaced since Oct. 7, 2023. Pro-Palestinian activists and several humanitarian groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, as well as the U.N., have described Israel’s campaign in Gaza as “genocide.” This week, international concerns have heightened over food insecurity in Gaza, and international condemnation of Israel has increased, particularly after Israel Defense Forces fired “warning shots” near a foreign diplomatic delegation visiting the West Bank.

The D.C. shooting also occurred at a time when the Trump Administration has ramped up its crackdown on antisemitism across the country, though some have criticized the effort as politicized.

Both anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim hate crimes in 42 major U.S. cities rose last year, according to preliminary data collected by California State University, San Bernardino, professor Brian Levin, who founded the university’s Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism. Anti-Jewish hate crimes rose 12% and anti-Muslim hate crimes rose 18% from 2023 to 2024, against a general decline of hate crimes more broadly.

It’s not the first time that the Israel embassy in D.C. has been connected to deadly action related to the war in Gaza. In February last year, Aaron Bushnell, an active-duty member of the U.S. Air Force, set himself on fire outside the embassy in an apparent act of protest.

Read More: The Rise of Antisemitism and Political Violence in the U.S.

What was the event where the attack took place?

The AJC’s annual “Young Diplomats reception” was billed as an opportunity to bring together Jewish young professionals as well as the D.C. diplomatic community “for an evening dedicated to fostering unity and celebrating Jewish heritage.” The event was publicly advertised on the AJC’s website, though the location was only given to registered attendees.

Last week, the Capital Jewish Museum became one of several nonprofit beneficiaries in D.C. of a $500,000 grant program to increase its security. The museum was awarded around $30,000 in the grant tied to security concerns around a new temporary LGBTQ+ exhibit.

This year’s theme of the “Young Diplomats reception” was “turning pain into purpose,” and the AJC also invited members of non-governmental organizations Multifaith Alliance and IsraAID that are responding to humanitarian crises in the Middle East, according to the event invitation.

“We are devastated that an unspeakable act of violence took place outside the venue,” AJC CEO Ted Deutch said in a statement. “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.”

It’s “deeply ironic,” organizer Jojo Kalin told the BBC, “that what we were discussing was bridge building and then we were all hit over the head with such hatred.” She added: “I’m not going to lose my humanity over this or be deterred. … Israelis and Palestinians both still deserve self determination.”