Man charged with killing two Israeli embassy workers is indicted on federal hate crime charges

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1 of 8 | Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky, two Israeli Embassy staff members, were shot and killed while leaving an event for young professionals hosted by the American Jewish Committee in Washington, D.C., on May 21. File Photo via Embassy of Israel | License Photo
Aug. 7 (UPI) -- The man charged with the shooting deaths of two Israeli embassy employees at the Capital Jewish Museum has been indicted on new charges, including hate crimes, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced.
Elias Rodriguez, 31, was charged May 21 by complaint in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia with the murder of a foreign official, causing death through the use of a firearm, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. He had been charged with two counts of first-degree murder under the D.C. criminal code.
The new indictment adds two federal counts of hate crime resulting in death and two local counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, Pirro announced.
The shootings killed Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Milgrim, 26, who were leaving an event at the museum.
Multiple charges in the indictment carry a maximum penalty of death. Pirro will decide later whether to pursue the death penalty.
"This office will leave no stone unturned in its effort to bring justice to the innocent victims of Elias Rodriguez," Pirro said in a statement. "The hate charges shed further light on his evil intent in the killing of innocent victims."
"This Justice Department will not tolerate violence motivated by hatred of faith or national origin, and we will enforce our federal civil rights laws accordingly," said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon in a statement.
According to the indictment, Rodriguez, of Chicago, made statements before the attack in which he advocated for violence against Israelis.
Lischinsky and Milgrim worked at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C. Lischinsky was an Israeli-German citizen and had purchased an engagement ring ahead of a trip to Jerusalem, where he planned to propose marriage.
Milgrim was born in Kansas and was a U.S. citizen.
Each died of multiple gunshot wounds.
The FBI warrant affidavit says Rodriguez entered the museum after shooting Milgrim and Lischinsky.
Two police officers entered the building soon after to ask about surveillance footage and identify witnesses.
Rodriguez approached one of the officers and said he "did it" and was unarmed.
The officers took him into custody, and Rodriguez told the officers, "I did it for Palestine. I did it for Gaza. I am unarmed," while holding a red "Kaffiyeh," the FBI affidavit says, referring to the traditional scarf worn by many men in the Middle East.
Rodriguez yelled, "Free, free Palestine," as the officers escorted him from the museum.