BY C STONE | STONE NEWS NETWORK ||| WASHINGTON
Source: Reuters
A man opened fire on 2 innocent bystanders yesterday, killing 2 aides who worked at the Jewish Embassy in Washington, D.C. The suspect, a Chicago native named Elias Rodriguez, 31, opened fire on a group of people last night as they left an event for young professionals and diplomats hosted by the American Jewish Committee.
Per Retuers:
Rodriguez told police on the scene, "I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza," according to the charging documents. Witnesses recounted hearing him chant, "Free Palestine" after he was taken into custody.
The two victims struck by gunfire and killed were identified as Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, 26, a young couple about to become engaged to be married.
Friends and members of advocacy groups they belonged to said the pair were committed to building bridges between Arabs and Jews in hopes of ending bloodshed in the Middle East.
After the shooting, Israeli embassies around the world immediately stepped up security.
In addition to two counts of first-degree murder, Rodriguez was charged in a six-page criminal complaint with murder of foreign officials, causing death with a firearm and discharging a firearm in a crime of violence.
Interim U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, newly appointed by President Donald Trump as the top federal prosecutor in Washington, said at a news briefing the complaint against Rodriguez constitutes a "death penalty-eligible case."
"We are going to continue to investigate this as a hate crime and as a crime of terrorism," Pirro told reporters.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said earlier that the suspect was believed to have acted alone.
In addition to being charged with two counts of first-degree murder, he faces a six-page criminal complaint with murder of foreign officials, causing death with a firearm and discharging a firearm in a crime of violence.
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