Charges Revealed In D.C. Terror Attack; Shooter ‘Did It For Palestine,’ FBI Says

Prosecutors have charged Elias Rodriguez with federal and local counts related to a terror attack in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday evening.

Rodriguez, 31, allegedly shot and killed Israeli Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and American Sarah Lynn Milgrim, 26, outside an event for Jewish professionals at the Capital Jewish Museum. The victims were soon to be engaged and were members of the Israeli Embassy staff.

The suspect will face three federal counts: murder of foreign officials, causing the death of a person through the use of a firearm, and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence. He has also been charged with two counts of first degree murder, according to an FBI affidavit.

Rodriguez admitted to killing the young couple to police, according to the FBI.

“[Rodriguez] spontaneously stated on scene to MPD, ‘I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza, I am unarmed.’ [Rodriguez] was holding a red scarf identified by one witness as a ‘Kaffiyeh.’ As MPD officers were escorting [Rodriguez] from the Museum, he shouted ‘Free Palestine,’” the affidavit says.

Rodriguez walked past the couple and several others before turning around, pulling a gun from his waistband, and shooting Lischinsky and Milgrim in their backs, the affidavit says. Milgrim attempted to crawl away before she was shot several more times.

“Once the decedents fell to the ground, [Rodriguez] is captured on the video advancing closer to the decedents, leaning over with them with his arm extended, and firing several more times. As [Milgrim] attempted to crawl away from [Rodriguez], he followed behind her and fired again. After a brief moment, [Rodriguez] appeared to reload his firearm. At the same time, [Milgrim] sat up. Once he reloaded, [Rodriguez] fired several times at [Milgrim],” the affidavit says.

FBI Affidavit by Timothy Pearce on Scribd

Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Washington Jeanine Pirro condemned the shooting as a “horrific crime” and said that more charges against Rodriguez may be coming.

“Violence against anyone based on their religion is an act of cowardice. It is not the act of a hero. It is the kind of case that we will vigorously pursue,” Pirro said at a Thursday press conference. “Antisemitism will not be tolerated, especially in the nation’s capital. We are going to continue to investigate this as a hate crime and a crime of terrorism and we will add additional charges as the evidence warrants.”