The Justice Department has expressed its intent to seek the death penalty for the man accused of shooting and killing two Israeli Embassy staffers outside a Jewish museum in Washington around this time last year.
The DOJ explained its reasoning in a Friday court filing, which U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro announced at an unrelated press conference.
“My message to anyone who seeks to commit political violence in this district: D.C. is not the place,” Pirro said. “You will be held accountable, and you will face the full wrath of the law.”
Elias Rodriguez faces 13 federal charges related to the fatal shootings of Yaron Lischinsky, an Israeli diplomat, and Sarah Milgrim, a U.S. citizen, in May 2025. The charges relate to acts of terrorism, hate crimes, murder, assault, and firearm offenses.
The DOJ’s latest court filing in the case shows the death penalty will be applied to three charges: one count for murder of a foreign official and two counts for discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence and causing death through the use of a firearm. All the charges carry a possible death sentence, according to the DOJ.
Federal prosecutors found that Rodriguez was motivated by the Israel-Hamas war, which is why he targeted the two young Jewish professionals in a violent act of antisemitism. Lischinsky and Milgrim were leaving an event at the Capital Jewish Museum when they were shot. The two victims were a couple.
After the shooting, Rodriguez entered the museum and said, “I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza, I am unarmed,” according to the indictment. During the shooting, he shouted, “Free Palestine.”
He also told investigators that he admired the “courageous” Air Force member who set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in February 2024. Rodriguez described him as a “martyr.” Aaron Bushnell died from self-immolation.
SUSPECT ACCUSED OF KILLING ISRAELI EMBASSY STAFFERS PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO NEW CHARGES
In March, Rodriguez pleaded not guilty to the newly added terrorism-related charges that Pirro announced a month prior.
If convicted on the federal counts, the defendant could face life in prison or the death penalty.