The individual charged with the fatal shooting of an Israeli couple in Washington DC had previously voiced desires to ‘support Hamas’ and commit acts of terrorism in disturbing social media messages.
Elias Rodriguez, 31, was arrested in connection with the murders of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim outside the Capital Jewish museum.
Rodgriguez shouted, ‘free, free Palestine’ as he was apprehended on Wednesday night.
Recent social media activity attributed to him has highlighted his extreme backing for the embattled region, with his latest posts urging followers to ‘intensify actions for Gaza, and bring the conflict home’.
On the day of the US election, an account linked to Rodriguez re-shared a post which read: ‘Don’t blame me, I voted for Hamas’.
Another chilling post on X detailed a desire to attack the New York Times’ headquarters.
In one post, he urged, ‘Progressive social media users, while I enjoy engaging in daily discourse, can we PLEASE postpone the idealistic and high-minded discussions about the ethics of sending a truck bomb into The New York Times’ offices until *AFTER* we actually do it,’ the message stated.
The X account’s profile picture features a grainy avatar wearing a medical face mask, with many progressives donning the face-coverings to make a political statement long after the COVID crisis ended.
Elias Rodriguez, the man accused of shooting dead an Israeli couple in Washington DC, joked about wanting to ‘vote for Hamas ‘ in warped social media posts
Rodriguez was taken into custody on Wednesday night in connection with the double murder
An account associated with Rodriguez retweeted this statement from the day of the US election
The X account featured an avatar wearing a medical face mask
Other concerning entries included a post which read, ‘De@th to Amerikkka’ and sharing posts with the Israeli flag emoji followed by a pig and a knife.
Officials said that Rodriguez hails from Chicago. A witness said he was seen waving a red Keffiyeh, a sign of the Marxist-Leninist group, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
The posts on his suspected Twitter account echo sentiments found in a 980-page manifesto given to journalist Ken Klippenstein and believed to belong to the shooter.
The document calls for an ‘armed demonstration as a response to the ‘genocide’ in Gaza.
‘Public opinion has shifted against the genocidal apartheid state, and the American government has simply shrugged, they’ll do without public opinion then, criminalize it where they can, suffocate it with bland reassurances that they’re doing all they can to restrain Israel where it cannot criminalize protest outright,’ the manifesto reads.
Rodriguez was also previously associated with the Party for Socialism and was photographed protesting outside then-Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel’s home.
Sarah Milgrim and Yarón Lischinsky were identified as the victims in the shooting
However, the group has since strongly distanced themselves and insist Rodriguez is not a member.
His Linkedin indicates that he works for the non-profit AOIA which operates in the osteopathy field.
Rodriguez’s job title is listed as a profiles administrative specialist. Prior to that he worked as a researcher for The HistoryMakers, a non-profit dedicated to chronicling black history.
His company profile indicates he obtained an English degree from the University of Illinois.
Rodriguez was taken into custody over the deaths of Lichisnky, 28, and Milgrim, 26 who both worked for the Israeli embassy.
Heartbreaking reports have since emerged that the couple were about to become engaged, with Lichinsky planning to pop the question during a visit to Jerusalem.
Milgrim organized visits to Israel, while Lichisnky worked as a research assistant.
The couple had attended an event at the Capital Jewish Museum when the suspect, who had been seen pacing outside the museum, approached a group of four people and opened fire, Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith said at a news conference.
Dan Bongino, deputy director of the FBI, wrote in a post on social media that ‘early indicators are that this is an act of targeted violence.’
It comes amid Israel’s ongoing bombardment of Gaza in response to the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023 which killed 1,200 people and resulted in 250 hostages begin abducted.
Since then, Israel’s devastating campaign in Gaza has killed more than 53,000 people, mostly women and children, according to local health authorities, whose count doesn’t differentiate between combatants and civilians.
An Israeli blockade has also caused widespread hunger and prompted fears of famine.
The shooting followed the American Jewish Committee’s annual Young Diplomats reception at the museum.
‘This is a shocking act of violence and our community is holding each other tighter tonight,’ Ted Deutch, American Jewish Committee´s chief executive, said in a statement early Thursday.
‘At this painful moment, we mourn with the victims´ families, loved ones, and all of Israel. May their memories be for a blessing.’
