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Key Points
- Two staff members from the Israeli embassy were tragically killed near a Jewish museum in Washington.
- The victims, who were a young couple, lost their lives as they were leaving an event at the museum.
- A suspect faces charges of two counts of first-degree murder.
Rodriguez reportedly stated to the police at the scene, “I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza,” as per charging documents. Witnesses reported that he shouted “Free Palestine” following his arrest.
After the shooting, Israeli embassies around the world immediately stepped up security.
Israeli national Yaron Lischinsky and American citizen Sarah Milgrim were the victims, killed while leaving an event at a Jewish museum in Washington, DC. Source: AAP / Embassy of Israel in the US/AP
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.
Dan Bongino, deputy director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, noted on social media that investigators were examining “certain writings allegedly authored by the suspect” and anticipated providing updates regarding their veracity soon.
FBI director Kash Patel called the bloodshed an “act of terror”, although US attorney general Pam Bondi told reporters authorities believe the suspect acted alone.
According to an account by Washington Metropolitan Police chief Pamela Smith, a man shot at a group of four people with a handgun, hitting two of the victims. He was seen pacing outside the museum before the shooting, a little more than 2km from the White House.
“Once in handcuffs, the suspect identified where he discarded the weapon,” Smith said. Investigators recovered a 9mm handgun, 21 spent shell casings and a firearm magazine at the scene, according to the complaint.
