Who is the suspect in the killing of 2 Israeli Embassy staffers?

Published: Thursday, May 22, 2025 at 12:08 pm

Chicago Man Arrested in Fatal Shooting of Israeli Embassy Staffers in D.C.

A 30-year-old man from Chicago, Elias Rodriguez, has been arrested and charged with the murder of two Israeli Embassy staffers in Washington, D.C. The victims, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, were reportedly engaged. The shooting occurred outside the Capital Jewish Museum after an event.

According to Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith, Rodriguez allegedly paced outside the museum before opening fire on a group of people exiting the building. He then entered the museum, where he was apprehended by security. Witnesses reported Rodriguez shouting "Free, free Palestine!" after the shooting. A gun was recovered from the scene.

A witness, Katie Kalisher, recounted an interaction with Rodriguez before his arrest. She stated that Rodriguez, appearing distressed, asked if the museum was Jewish and then pulled out a kaffiyeh, declaring "I did it for Gaza."

Rodriguez's LinkedIn profile indicates he recently worked for the American Osteopathic Information Association. Prior to that, he worked as a production and logistics coordinator and oral history researcher with The HistoryMakers, a non-profit organization. A 2017 article in Liberation News, the newspaper of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, identified an Elias Rodriguez as a participant in a protest in Chicago. The Party for Socialism and Liberation has since denied any current association with Rodriguez and condemned the shooting.

The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are working to determine the motive behind the attack.

BNN's Perspective: This tragic event underscores the complex and often volatile intersection of political ideologies and personal actions. While the alleged perpetrator's motivations are still under investigation, it's crucial to avoid generalizations and condemn any act of violence. It is important to allow the legal process to unfold and to avoid fueling further division.

Keywords: Israeli Embassy, shooting, Washington D.C., Elias Rodriguez, Chicago, Capital Jewish Museum, Yaron Lischinsky, Sarah Milgrim, Free Palestine, Gaza, anti-Israel, murder, arrest, police, investigation, antisemitism, politics, protest, violence, gun, kaffiyeh

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