Federal prosecutors want the man charged in the fatal shooting of two Israeli Embassy staffers outside a Washington Jewish museum to die for the crime.
U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro wrote Friday that her office would seek the death penalty against Elias Rodriguez, in a post on X. “After extensive review of the facts and the law, my office will seek the death penalty against Elias Rodriguez,” she wrote. Pirro added a warning to would-be attackers, “Let me be clear: anyone who commits acts of political violence in the nation’s capital will face the full force of the law.” (RELATED: Jeanine Pirro Reveals What Would-Be Trump Assassin #3 Is Being Charged With)
Pirro wrote that the superseding indictment alleges “the intentional and premeditated murders” of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, describing the attack as “the targeted killing of individuals associated with an event for young Jewish professionals at the Capital Jewish Museum.” She added that Rodriguez engaged in “conduct that created a grave risk to additional innocent victims.”
After extensive review of the facts and the law, my office will seek the death penalty against Elias Rodriguez. The superseding indictment alleges the intentional and premeditated murders of Yaron Lischinsky (30) and Sarah Milgrim (26), the targeted killing of individuals… pic.twitter.com/meCsDAiWdl
— US Attorney Pirro (@USAttyPirro) May 15, 2026
Rodriguez boarded a flight from Chicago to the D.C. area with a handgun stowed in checked baggage and had studied the American Jewish Committee’s pro-Israel work beforehand, according to The Washington Times. He paced outside the venue, then walked up to a group of four leaving a “Young Diplomats Reception” and fired a semiautomatic pistol at close range, the outlet reported. He shouted “free Palestine” and “I did it for Palestine. I did it for Gaza,” then said “Shame on Zio-nazi terror” as officers led him away.
The slain couple were identified as Yaron Lischinsky, 30, an Israeli citizen working at the embassy, and Sarah Milgrim, 26, of Overland Park, Kansas, ABC News reported. The two were close to getting engaged when Rodriguez allegedly opened fire dozens of times. Rodriguez was first indicted last August on hate crime and murder counts, with a superseding indictment in February adding terrorism charges, according to ABC News.
Rodriguez is due back in court June 30, per NBC Washington. No trial date has been set.