A tragic shooting outside the Lillian & Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum on May 21, 2025, resulted in the deaths of two Israeli Embassy staff members, Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, 26. The suspect, Elias Rodriguez, 31, from Chicago, allegedly shouted “Free Palestine!” before opening fire as attendees exited a Jewish heritage event.
Rodriguez was apprehended inside the museum, where he confessed to the shooting and indicated where he had discarded his weapon. He has been charged with first-degree murder and other related crimes.
In the aftermath, it was revealed that Rodriguez’s father, Eric Rodriguez, a U.S. military veteran and advocate for veterans’ and workers’ rights, had been invited by Democratic Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García to President Trump’s joint congressional address in March. Garcia praised Rodriguez as a dedicated public servant and community advocate.
Congressman García publicly condemned the violence as a senseless act of antisemitism and expressed sympathy for the victims.
The incident has raised heightened concerns about Jewish institutional security amid a global surge in antisemitism exacerbated by recent conflict in Gaza.
Investigations continue, with law enforcement examining a manifesto titled “Escalate For Gaza, Bring The War Home” allegedly authored by Rodriguez. The manifesto claims that nonviolent protest has swayed public opinion but has not changed American policy. The manifesto also said that the Gaza war was the main motive behind the shooting and that his actions “would have been morally justified taken 11 years ago during Protective Edge”, during which time he “personally became acutely aware of our brutal conduct in Palestine”. The end of the manifesto expressed love for the author’s parents, sister, and family, before writing “Free Palestine”.
The FBI and the D.C. Metropolitan Police are investigating the killing. The suspect was interviewed by FBI and Metropolitan Police shortly after the shooting and his apartment was searched by the FBI. Police tape was seen placed on the entrance of the apartment complex in which the suspect lived and it was surrounded police and FBI agents.
President Donald Trump condemned the acts via a post on Truth Social shortly after the shooting, stating: “These horrible DC killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW!”. He added that “Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA.”
The attack has been described as “an extreme example of what law enforcement officials and others call a global surge in antisemitic incidents” that emerged after the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel.
The tragic loss of Lischinsky and Milgrim, a couple planning to get engaged, has deeply shocked both the Israeli community and broader public, highlighting the devastating consequences of hate-fueled violence.
Discussion about this post