The suspect in the shooting that killed two Israeli embassy workers in Washington was indicted in federal court today on two counts of first-degree murder, Reuters reports.
Two Israeli embassy employees, a young couple who were about to get engaged, were shot dead by a gunman in Washington on Wednesday night, and the suspect who shouted pro-Palestinian slogans is in custody, officials said earlier.
Both were killed as they left an event at the Jewish Museum in the capital of the United States (US), in the northwest part of Washington, about two kilometers from the White House.
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Elias Rodriguez, 30, is accused of opening fire on a group of people on Wednesday evening as they were leaving an event for young diplomats hosted by the American Jewish Committee, an advocacy group that supports Israel and fights anti-Semitism, according to Reuters.
Officials said he was heard chanting "Free Palestine" after he was detained.
In addition to first-degree murder, Rodriguez is charged in the criminal complaint with murder of foreign officials, causing death by firearm, and discharging a firearm in a crime of violence.
The charges were filed in federal court after the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and police investigators investigated the suspect's records and political affiliation.
The victims were identified as Jaron Liszczynski (30) and Sarah Lynn Milgrim (26).
Friends and members of the groups they belonged to said the couple was dedicated to building bridges between Arabs and Jews in the hope of ending the bloodshed in the Middle East.
After the shooting, Israeli embassies around the world immediately increased security.
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino posted on social media that investigators are "aware of certain documents allegedly authored by the suspect" and hope to have an update regarding their authenticity soon.
Bongino's statement appears to refer to a manifesto signed by Rodriguez's name that was posted on an anonymous account on the X social network Wednesday night just before the shooting.
Published under the title "Escalate for Gaza, Bring the War Home," it condemns Israel's killing of tens of thousands of Palestinians following the Hamas attack in October 2023 and discusses the morality of "armed" actions.
FBI Director Kesh Patel called the carnage "an act of terror," although U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi told reporters that authorities believe the suspect acted alone.
Israel has faced sustained international condemnation over its escalating military offensive in Gaza, while Jewish groups have warned of a rise in anti-Semitic incidents worldwide.
Investigators were also looking into the apparent political connections of the suspect, who worked for a non-profit health organization and is believed to have had past ties to far-left groups, Reuters reports.
According to a report by Washington Police Chief Pamela Smith, a man fired a handgun at a group of four people, hitting both victims. He was seen walking outside the museum before the shooting.
"When he was handcuffed, the suspect said where he had thrown the weapon and that weapon was found, and suggested that he had committed a crime," Smith said, adding that he had no prior contact with police.
FBI agents were seen at his Chicago apartment on Thursday, where police blocked off the street.
Witness Katie Kalisher, 29, said she was among people in the museum chatting with a man who entered looking very scared after shots were heard outside and suddenly pulled out a keffiyeh scarf.
“He says, ‘I did it. I did it for Gaza, a free, free Palestine.’ And he chants this, and then all of a sudden the police come in and arrest him,” said Kalisher, a jewelry designer.
Rodriguez was once affiliated with a far-left group in Chicago, the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL), according to a posting by that group on X.
The group said Rodriguez had a brief relationship with a branch of the PSL that ended in 2017 and they have had no contact with him for more than seven years.
"We have nothing to do with this shooting and do not support it," the organization said.
Rodriguez was also identified in a 2018 local news report as a member of the Chicago chapter of a national group called "ANSWER," an acronym for "Act Now to Stop War and End Racism," which organized demonstrations in solidarity with Palestinians.
ANSWER did not immediately respond to phone and email messages, according to Reuters.
Rodriguez worked for the health nonprofit American Osteopathic Information Association (AOIA), the organization confirmed in a statement expressing its condolences to the victims.
"We were shocked and saddened to learn that an AOIA employee had been arrested as a suspect in this horrific crime," the statement said.
He also worked as an oral history researcher for a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving African-American stories, according to a now-deleted biography on the group's website, according to Reuters.
Rodriguez was born and raised in Chicago and graduated from the University of Illinois in that city with a degree in English, the now-deleted page said, Reuters reports.
He previously worked as a content writer for commercial and non-commercial technology firms, according to the site.
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