(NewsNation) — The suspect in the Capitol Jewish Museum fatal shooting of two Israeli Embassy staff members has been charged with first-degree murder as well as the murder of foreign officials, officials announced on Thursday.
Elias Rodriguez appeared in court and was charged with the deaths of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim. The couple, who were said to be soon to be engaged, was leaving an event at the museum, which is located a mile from the Capitol Building, when police say Rodriguez approached a group of four people and opened fire.
Rodriguez yelled, “Free, free Palestine” after he was arrested, police said. Rodriguez was charged after appearing in court on Thursday afternoon.
Officials said Thursday that the case against Rodriguez is “death-penalty eligible.” Rodriguez was told by a judge during his court appearance that he could be punished by death or could face life in prison.
During his court appearance, Rodriguez waived his right to a detention hearing and conceded detention. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 18.
What we know about the victims
Lischinsky was a research assistant, and Milgrim organized visits and missions to Israel. The couple were set to be engaged, according to Yechiel Leiter, Israeli ambassador to the United States.
Lischinsky had purchased a ring this week with the intent to propose next week in Jerusalem, Leiter said.
Suspect identified as 30-year-old Chicago man
Rodriguez, a 30-year-old Chicago resident, was taken into custody following the shooting. A witness told NewsNation he re-entered the building alongside two guests and later identified him as the shooter. Soon after, police arrived. Police officials said the suspect approached officers, said he was unarmed, and then confessed to the shooting.
Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith said Rodriguez was seen pacing outside before the shooting and began chanting “Free, free Palestine” after his arrest. She said law enforcement did not believe there was an ongoing threat to the community.
FBI Assistant Director Steven Jensen said at a news conference Thursday that there was nothing in criminal records or FBI holdings to indicate that Rodriguez was known to federal agents. Jensen said Rodriguez was in Washington for a conference on May 20, but resided in the greater Chicago area.
The conference was related to the suspected shooter’s job, officials said.
The FBI Washington Field said agents are conducting “authorized law enforcement activity in the Chicago area” concerning the shooting. Agents raided a residence on Chicago’s Northwest Side Thursday morning, according to NewsNation affiliate WGN-TV.
It’s unclear how the residence is connected to the investigation. Jensen said that federal officials are also looking for relatives or known contacts of Rodriguez “to put all the pieces together.”
“There’s a lot of unknowns and so (finding) known contacts, known relatives, known associates – these are basic investigative steps to put a composite picture of who this subject is, what did people know about him and who was he closest to?” Jensen said.
‘It’s just a horrible tragedy’: U.S. ambassador to Israel
U.S. ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told “NewsNation Live” that the deadly shooting was a “horrible tragedy” that has deeply impacted the Israeli people.
“This is so very frightening to people across the world, but especially here in Israel,” he said.
Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser condemned the shooting, stating that the city “will not tolerate antisemitism.”
“I want to be clear: We will not tolerate violence or hate in our city,” she wrote on X. “We’re going to stand together as a community in the coming days and weeks to send a clear message that we will not tolerate antisemitism.”
NewsNation’s Jeff Arnold, Rob Taub and the Associated Press contributed to this report.