What we know about Elias Rodriguez, suspect in shooting of Israeli embassy workers
The suspect in a shooting outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., shouted pro-Palestinian chants after he fatally shot two Israeli embassy workers, authorities said.
The suspect was identified as 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez of Chicago, according to Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith. Smith said Rodriguez opened fire outside the museum the evening of May 21, killing a man and a woman who were leaving an event there.
Rodriguez faces federal and local murder charges along with firearms offenses, authorities announced May 22.
The Israeli foreign ministry identified the victims as Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim. Yechiel Leiter, Israeli ambassador to the United States, said the two victims killed were a "young couple about to be engaged."
Rodriguez then entered the museum and was detained by security at the event. He shouted, "Free, free Palestine" while in custody, Smith said. After he was handcuffed, Rodriguez "implied that he committed the offense," Smith said. He also told authorities where he discarded the weapon, which was later recovered, she said.
Rodriguez was being interviewed by the D.C. police and the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Forces team, Deputy FBI Director Don Bongino said overnight.
"Early indicators are that this is an act of targeted violence," Bongino said in a post to social media.
It was not clear if Rodriguez had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.
Here's what we know about the suspect:
Who is Elias Rodriguez?
Rodriguez, 30, is from Chicago, authorities said.
A LinkedIn profile that appears to belong to Rodriguez shows that he works for the Chicago-based American Osteopathic Information Association. His profile and the association's website say he works as an American Osteopathic Association profiles administration specialist.
"We were shocked and saddened to learn that an AOIA employee has been arrested as a suspect in this horrific crime," American Osteopathic Association President Teresa A. Hubka and CEO Kathleen S. Creason said in a statement. "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."
Hubka and Creason said the association would cooperate with investigators and expressed "profound sorrow" at the news.
"We extend our deepest sympathy to the victims’ loved ones, wishing them peace, comfort and strength during this unimaginably difficult time," they said.
The LinkedIn profile says Rodriguez previously worked as a production and logistics coordinator and an oral history researcher at the History Makers, a nonprofit in Illinois that says it documents and preserves histories of Black Americans.
A biography for Rodriguez on the History Makers' website accessed through the Internet Archive said Rodriguez was born and raised in Chicago and has a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Illinois at Chicago. The biography said he lived in the Avondale neighborhood of the city and previously worked as a content writer in the technology space.
An Elias Rodriguez born in 1994 did graduate from the university in 2018 with a bachelor's in English, according to Sherri McGinnis Gonzalez, a spokesperson for the University of Illinois Chicago. He attended from fall 2016 through spring 2018, she said.
The Party for Socialism and Liberation said in a post on social media that Rodriguez had a "brief" affiliation with a branch of the group that ended in 2017 but is "not a member of the PSL."
"We have nothing to do with this shooting and do not support it," the post said.
The FBI's Washington field office and the Metropolitan Police Department, which are both investigating, did not immediately confirm the profiles belong to Rodriguez. History Makers nonprofit did not immediately respond to inquiries from Paste BN.
What happened in the shooting?
Authorities responded to the shooting just after 9 p.m. on May 21, Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department said. The two victims were exiting an event at the Capital Jewish Museum when they were shot.
Rodriguez was seen pacing back and forth outside the museum before the shooting, Smith said. He approached a group of four people and fired at the victims, she said.
After firing, the suspect entered the museum and was detained. While in custody, he shouted the chant, "Free, free Palestine," Smith said. Video of Rodriguez being detained shows him repeating the chant multiple times while authorities escort him out of the museum.
Yoni Kalin and Katie Kalisher told the Associated Press they were inside the museum the night of May 21. They heard gunshots and saw a man come inside looking distressed, they said. Kalin said some people in the museum thought he needed help and brought him water. He later pulled out a red keffiyeh and yelled "Free Palestine," Kalin told the AP.
What was the motive?
Federal authorities say they are investigating the shooting as a potential hate crime or act of terrorism.
"We are going to continue to investigate this as a hate crime and as a crime of terrorism," U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro told reporters.
According to an affidavit within a criminal complaint against Rodriguez, he told investigators after being detained, "I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza."
He also allegedly expressed admiration for a person who set themselves on fire outside the Israeli embassy in February 2024, calling the person a "martyr," the affidavit said.
Bongino said in a social media post that investigators are "aware of certain writings allegedly authored by the suspect," appearing to refer to writings signed with Rodriguez's name that was posted to an anonymous X account before the shooting. Bongino didn't confirm the authenticity of the writing.
It was titled "Escalate For Gaza, Bring The War Home," and condemned Israel's killing of tens of thousands of Palestinians since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that killed about 1,200 in Israel.
Contributing: Thao Nguyen, Paste BN; Reuters