Alleged gunman in DC Jewish Museum shooting now faces terrorism charges
The man accused of gunning down a young couple outside the Capital Jewish Museum in downtown Washington D.C., last May has now been charged with multiple terrorism offenses.
Elias Rodriguez, 31, of Chicago, was charged in a 13-count superseding indictment unsealed on Wednesday in U.S. District Court with four counts of terrorism while armed and a federal aggravating factor for substantial planning and premeditation to commit an act of terrorism, according to a news release from the office of U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro.
He was previously indicted on hate crime and murder charges in the May 21 shooting deaths of Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Milgrim, 26, who were both staffers for the Israeli embassy.
At an arraignment in September on the earlier indictment, Rodriguez pleaded not guilty to all counts.
Several of the charges filed against Rodriguez carry a maximum penalty of death or life imprisonment, Pirro's office said.
"My office will not rest in our efforts to hold Elias Rodriguez accountable for this horrific, and targeted act of terror against Yaron Lischinsky, Sarah Milgrim and our Jewish community," Pirro said in a statement. "These additional terrorism-related charges carry a mandatory life sentence under D.C. Code, while also reflecting the reality that this act was in fact an act of terror."
Lischinsky was an Israeli citizen and employee of the Government of Israel who was in the U.S. on official business while working for the Israeli Embassy at the time of the shooting, authorities said. Milgrim, from Overland Park, Kansas, was also employed by the Israeli Embassy.
The couple was due to be engaged before the shooting, officials said.
Two others were hurt in the shooting.
According to prosecutors Rodriguez allegedly approached the victims as they left a reception at the museum and fired around 20 rounds with a semi-automatic handgun, allegedly calling out "Free Palestine."
After the shooting, Rodriguez said, "I did it for Palestine. I did it for Gaza," according to the superseding indictment.
