The man who allegedly fired on two embassy workers at the Israeli embassy in Washington DC informed the authorities that he was driven by sympathy for Gaza and Palestine, the Associated Press reports.
Elias Rodriguez, 31, allegedly cried out "Free Palestine" and said, "I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza, I am unarmed," when he was taken into custody near a Jewish museum across the street from the embassy last Wednesday evening.
Rodriguez is charged with, among other things, the murder of foreign officials and other crimes, as Israel's stepped-up military action in Gaza continues. Authorities are also considering the attack as a potential hate crime against the Jewish community, which could result in additional charges.
He informed authorities that he was motivated by an Air Force member who set himself on fire in front of the Israeli embassy in February 2024, referring to the latter as "courageous" and a "martyr." After the shooting, Israeli diplomatic offices around the U.S. raised security and flew their flags at half-staff.
Jeanine Pirro, acting U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, denounced the attack: "Violence against anyone because of their religion is a cowardly act. It is not an act of a hero. Antisemitism will not be allowed, particularly in the nation's capital," she told AP.
An FBI affidavit made public on Thursday showed that the attack was premeditated. Officials charge Rodriguez came to Washington from Chicago on Tuesday, armed with a handgun in his carry-on luggage. He bought a ticket to the museum event about three hours prior to its start, court documents said.
At his appearance in federal court in Washington, the FBI explained how Rodriguez had shown suspicious activity by walking back and forth outside the museum before firing on a group of four individuals, according to Bloomberg.
The attack came shortly after a reception at a Jewish advocacy group's annual Young Diplomats event, which the victims had attended. Israel's U.S. ambassador, Yechiel Leiter, confirmed the victims were about to be married.
Ted Deutch, head of the American Jewish Committee, spoke of sadness at the tragedy: "Sarah and Yaron were taken from us. Just before they were killed, they were smiling and laughing and having a good time at an event with friends and colleagues. We are shocked and devastated as we try to make sense of this terrible tragedy."
The judge in federal court ordered Rodriguez to be held and set a preliminary hearing for June 18.
He is charged with two counts of murder, including the killing of foreign officials, causing death with a firearm, and discharging a firearm during a violent crime, as stated in the criminal complaint.
If found guilty, he could face the death penalty or life imprisonment.
Steve Jensen, assistant director of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, described the incident as “both an act of terror and directed violence against the Jewish community.”
President Donald Trump denounced the assault on his platform Truth Social, stating, "These awful D.C. murders, based clearly on antisemitism, need to stop, NOW!"
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated, "Yaron and Sarah were not the victims of a random attack. The terrorist who ruthlessly murdered them did so for one reason and one reason only — he wanted to kill Jews."
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