Jewish Museum Shooting Suspect Charged with First-Degree Murder in Deaths of Israeli Embassy Aides

After two Israeli Embassy aides were fatally shot outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, May 21, the person suspected of the shooting was charged with first-degree murder.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced on Thursday, May 22 that Elias Rodriguez, 31, has been charged with federal and local murder offenses in connection with the fatal shooting.

Rodriguez has been charged by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia with the murder of foreign officials, causing death through the use of a firearm and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, the district attorney’s office said. He is also charged with two counts of first-degree murder under the D.C. criminal code.

“This brutal, anti-Semitic violence has no place in our country or anywhere in civilization,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a press statement.

“We will follow the facts and secure the most severe possible punishment for the perpetrator of this heinous crime, which robbed two wonderful young people of a bright future together,” the statement continued.

During his first court appearance on Thursday, Rodriguez waived his right to a detention hearing, and a preliminary hearing for the case was set for June 18, per Reuters.

The outlet reported that he “said little during the proceeding” except answering “I do” when a federal magistrate judge asked if he understood his rights.

Related Stories

2 Israeli Embassy Aides Shot Dead Near Jewish Museum, Washington D.C.

Israeli Embassy Aides Shooting Suspect’s Arrest Caught on Camera as He Shouts 1 Phrase

Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) of D.C., Pamela Smith, said in a Wednesday press conference that police responded to multiple calls of a shooting in the area of 3rd Street and F Street Northwest at approximately 9:08 p.m. local time on May 21.

“Officers located one adult male and one adult female unconscious and not breathing at the scene,” Smith told reporters.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry and the Israeli Embassy in the U.S identified the pair on X as Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky. The two were planning to get engaged before they were killed.

Smith said that Milgrim and Lischinsky had succumbed to their injuries despite life-saving efforts and that they had been “exiting an event.” 

Before the shooting, Rodriguez was “observed pacing back and forth outside of the museum,” before approaching a “group of four people, produced a handgun and opened fire, striking both of our decedents,” per Smith.

“After the shooting, the suspect then entered the museum and was detained by event security,” said Smith. Footage from an eyewitness showed that he repeatedly shouted “free Palestine,” while being taken away by police officers.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

Smith also noted that it is believed that Rodriguez acted alone and that the alleged murder weapon had been recovered after the suspect disclosed where he discarded it.