United States federal prosecutors will seek the death penalty for the shooter in the May 2025 killing of two Israeli Embassy staffers outside Washington’s Capital Jewish Museum, the DC US attorney's office announced on Friday.
According to the notice of intent filed by the attorney's office, Elias Rodriguez, the suspect, committed the act with "substantial planning and premeditation," and was motivated by "political, ideological, national, and religious bias, contempt, and hatred."
"Elias Rodriguez targeted individuals whom he perceived to have attended an event for young Jewish professionals, organized by the American Jewish Committee and hosted at the Capital Jewish Museum, to amplify the effect of his crimes," the filing also stated.
Bondi calls out growing US antisemitism
In January, former US attorney-general Pam Bondi told the audience at the Israeli-American Council (IAC) National Summit that federal prosecutors were pursuing capital punishment in the case, saying "Sarah and Yaron were shot, murdered because they were Jewish,” referring to the two victims, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim.
Framing antisemitism as a national crisis that surged after October 7, Bondi argued that institutions across American society failed to respond with urgency.
“The sad truth is for way too long, antisemitism has been allowed to grow unchecked in this country,” she said. “Too many institutions have abdicated their moral responsibility to speak up. Too many so-called leaders have stayed quiet. Action has consequences, and inaction has consequences too.”
Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.