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Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, 26, two Israeli Embassy staffers, were fatally shot outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C.
The couple, who were preparing to get engaged, had just left an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee when Elias Rodriguez, a 31-year-old from Chicago, allegedly opened fire. Surveillance footage shows Rodriguez walking past the victims, shooting them in the back, reloading, and firing again at close range, discharging 21 bullets from a 9mm handgun legally purchased in Illinois in 2020.
Rodriguez, who shouted “Free Palestine” during his arrest and told police, “I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza,” was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, murder of foreign officials, and firearms offenses. Interim U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced the charges, stating the case is “death penalty eligible” but noted it’s “far too early” to decide on pursuing capital punishment. The attack is being investigated as a hate crime and an act of terrorism, with additional charges expected as evidence warrants.
Rodriguez, who flew from Chicago to D.C. the day before, expressed admiration for a 2024 self-immolation protest outside the Israeli Embassy, calling the individual a “martyr.” A document titled “Escalate for Gaza, Bring the War Home,” linked to Rodriguez, surfaced online, accusing Israel of “genocide.” Authorities are reviewing his ties to a far-left group, the Party for Socialism and Liberation, and his fixation on the 2023 killing of a Palestinian boy in Illinois. Rodriguez appeared in court on May 22 and faces a preliminary hearing on June 18, with the investigation ongoing.
We want to ask you, the reader: should the assassin of the two Israeli embassy workers receive the death penalty? Answer in our poll below and comment your thoughts on the actions of Rodriguez.
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