DOJ to seek death penalty for man charged with killing 2 Israeli Embassy staffers

The Department of Justice (DOJ) will seek the death penalty against Elias Rodriguez, the man accused of fatally shooting two Israeli Embassy staffers outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., last year, federal prosecutors said in a May 15 court filing.

Rodriguez is charged in the May 21, 2025, killings of Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Milgrim, 26, who were leaving an American Jewish Committee event at the museum when they were shot. Rodriguez then allegedly entered the museum, identified himself as the shooter, and said, “I did it for Palestine. I did it for Gaza,” according to a DOJ statement.

“My message to anyone who seeks to commit political violence in this district: D.C. is not the place. You will be held accountable, and you will face the full wrath of the law,” U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro said during an unrelated event May 15. 

Rodriguez has pleaded not guilty to 13 counts, including hate crime resulting in death, first-degree murder, firearms offenses, and terrorism charges, according to The Hill. 

The DOJ said in the latest court filing that a death sentence is justified because of Rodriguez’s alleged biased motive and substantial planning and premeditation. They wrote that he “targeted individuals whom he perceived to have attended an event for young Jewish professionals” to “amplify the effect of his crimes.”

According to AP News, Rodriguez’s next court appearance is scheduled for June 30.