Latest news with #Milgrim
USA Today
07-08-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Man accused of killing Israeli Embassy staffers indicted on federal hate crime charges
WASHINGTON — The suspect accused of gunning down two Israeli embassy staffers outside a museum in Washington in May has been indicted on federal hate crime and murder charges, according to court documents unsealed Aug. 6. The nine-count indictment, filed in federal court in Washington, returned against Elias Rodriguez, 31, accuses him of carrying out a hate crime resulting in death motivated by the "actual and perceived national origin of any person." Rodriguez also faces charges of first-degree murder and murder of a foreign official. The indictment includes special findings that would make Rodriguez eligible for the death penalty if convicted. The indictment by a federal grand jury comes ahead of a scheduled court appearance in Rodriguez's case on Aug. 8. Rodriguez was accused of fatally shooting Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, 26, who were about to be engaged to be married. They were leaving a May 21 event for young professionals and diplomats at the Capital Jewish Museum and hosted by the American Jewish Committee, an advocacy group that fights antisemitism and supports Israel, when they were killed. Fort Stewart attack: Army sergeant in custody after 5 soldiers shot; motive under investigation Rodriguez told police at the scene: 'I did it for Palestine. I did it for Gaza,' according to a criminal complaint. Witnesses recounted hearing him chant "Free Palestine" after he was taken into custody. He has not yet entered a plea to the prior charges, which also include causing death with a firearm and discharging a firearm in a crime of violence. The killings in downtown Washington were widely condemned as an act of antisemitism and shook Jewish communities around the world. Jeanine Pirro, the top federal prosecutor in Washington said in May that the shooting would be investigated as a hate crime and the charges could carry the death penalty. Indictment alleges suspect had history of violent rhetoric against Israelis The indictment alleges that Rodriguez targeted the couple because they were Israelis and that the suspect had a history of violent rhetoric online against Israelis, including a plea to "vaporize every Israeli 18 and above." Before the shooting, he scheduled a social media post to publish later that night with a document arguing that perpetrators and abettors of Israel's military actions in Gaza had "forfeited their humanity," according to the indictment. Rodriguez, who was born and raised in Chicago, flew to the Washington area from Chicago the day before the shooting. He was seen pacing outside the museum, little more than a mile from the White House, shortly before the shooting, police said. NYC shooting: 4 victims mourned; NYPD to search suspect's Las Vegas home Surveillance video footage showed Rodriguez firing about 20 rounds at Lischinsky and Milgrim, then leaning over them to fire several more rounds after they fell to the ground and after Milgrim tried to crawl away and sat up, according to an FBI affidavit in the criminal complaint. The gunman paused to reload, then resumed firing, it said. He then tossed away his gun, retreated into the museum, and was arrested there after calling attention to himself as the suspect, pulling out a red Palestinian-style keffiyeh scarf and declaring that he "did it," the affidavit said. (Reporting by Andrew Goudsward; Editing by Scott Malone)
Straits Times
06-08-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
US brings hate crime charges against suspect in killing of Israeli embassy staffers
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox WASHINGTON - The U.S. on Wednesday brought federal hate crime charges against the suspect accused of gunning down two Israeli embassy staffers outside a museum in Washington in May, alleging he targeted them because they were Israelis, court papers showed. The nine-count indictment returned against Elias Rodriguez, 31, accuses him of carrying out a hate crime resulting in death motivated by the "actual and perceived national origin of any person." Rodriguez also faces charges of first-degree murder and murder of a foreign official. The indictment also includes special findings that would make Rodriguez eligible for the death penalty if convicted. Rodriguez was accused of fatally shooting Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, 26, who were about to be engaged to be married. They were leaving a May 21 event for young professionals and diplomats at the Capital Jewish Museum and hosted by the American Jewish Committee, an advocacy group that fights antisemitism and supports Israel, when they were killed. Rodriguez told police at the scene: 'I did it for Palestine. I did it for Gaza,' according to a criminal complaint. Witnesses recounted hearing him chant "Free Palestine" after he was taken into custody. He has not yet entered a plea to the prior charges, which also include causing death with a firearm and discharging a firearm in a crime of violence. The killings in downtown Washington were widely condemned as an act of antisemitism and shook Jewish communities around the world. Jeanine Pirro, the top federal prosecutor in Washington said in May that the shooting would be investigated as a hate crime and the charges could carry the death penalty. The indictment by a federal grand jury comes ahead of a scheduled court appearance in Rodriguez's case on Friday. It alleges Rodriguez had a history of violent rhetoric online against Israelis, including a plea to "vaporize every Israeli 18 and above." Before the shooting, he scheduled a social media post to publish later that night with a document arguing that perpetrators and abettors of Israel's military actions in Gaza had "forfeited their humanity," according to the indictment. Rodriguez, who was born and raised in Chicago, flew to the Washington area from Chicago the day before the shooting. He was seen pacing outside the museum, little more than a mile (1.6 km) from the White House, shortly before the shooting, police said. Surveillance video footage showed Rodriguez firing about 20 rounds at Lischinsky and Milgrim, then leaning over them to fire several more rounds after they fell to the ground and after Milgrim tried to crawl away and sat up, according to an FBI affidavit in the criminal complaint. The gunman paused to reload, then resumed firing, it said. He then tossed away his gun, retreated into the museum and was arrested there after calling attention to himself as the suspect, pulling out a red Palestinian-style keffiyeh scarf and declaring that he "did it," the affidavit said. REUTERS
05-08-2025
- Politics
DOJ set to seek hate crime charges in killing of Israeli Embassy staffers: Sources
The Justice Department is set to seek hate crime charges and the death penalty against the alleged gunman who fatally shot two Israeli embassy staffers in Washington, D.C., two sources familiar with the matter confirmed to ABC News Wednesday. Prosecutors are poised to request that a grand jury indict Elias Rodriguez, as soon as this week, sources said. He has remained in custody since the fatal shooting of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim outside the Capitol Jewish Museum on May 21. CNN first reported news of the expected charges. Rodriguez was charged via criminal complaint with first-degree murder, murdering foreign officials and using a firearm to commit murder and a crime of violence, a day after the shooting. Interim D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro emphasized at the time that the charges were only initial in nature. "A young couple at the beginning of their life's journey, about to be engaged in another country, had their bodies removed in the cold of the night in a foreign city in a body bag. We are not going to tolerate that anymore," Pirro said during a press briefing on May 22. "Antisemitism will not be tolerated, especially in the nation's capital." Early last month, prosecutors in Rodriguez's case sought an extension for time to return an indictment against him, noting the complex and unusual nature of the charges he was facing. Rodriguez was seen in videos shouting "Free, Free Palestine!" inside the museum just minutes after he allegedly shot Lischinsky and Milgrim dozens of times, and later allegedly told police upon his arrest, "I did it for Palestine." But to secure an indictment on the new charge that Rodriguez's acts amounted to a hate crime, prosecutors would need to have evidence that his alleged actions were motivated by antisemitism and not just hatred toward Israel and the war in Gaza. Rodriguez has not yet entered a plea in his case. A public defender representing him did not immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment. The complaint alleges that Rodriguez shot the couple in the back and then fired again at Milgrim as she tried to crawl away. Lischinsky, 30, was a researcher in the political department of the Israeli Embassy, while Milgrim, 26, organized U.S. missions to Israel.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
U.S. House offers moment of silence honoring native Kansan slain in Washington
U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, leads colleagues Tuesday in a moment of silence in honor of Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky, who were shot and killed in May in Washington, D.C. Milgrim grew up in Johnson County, Kansas. (Kansas Reflector screen capture of U.S. House's YouTube channel) TOPEKA — Members of the Kansas congressional delegation participated in a moment of silence on the U.S. House floor to honor the memory of a couple slain in May during an apparent antisemitic attack outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. Federal lawmakers stood in tribute for Sarah Milgrim, who grew up in Prairie Village, Kansas, and her partner, Yaron Lischinsky. Both were staff members at the Israeli embassy. They were fatally shot May 21 by a Chicago man who reportedly yelled 'free Palestine' while handcuffed and has been charged with first-degree murder. U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, a Kansas Democrat who represents the community where Milgrim was raised, said the couple were 'tragically and senselessly killed in an antisemitic attack.' 'This hateful and targeted violence is not only heartbreaking, it is unacceptable,' she said. 'Antisemitism has no place in our country, and yet we are seeing a deeply disturbing rise in these acts of hate.' Davids said Milgrim was a member of Congregation B'nai Jehudah and that Milgrim and Lischinsky were committed to building understanding and connection between Israel and the United States. 'To the Jewish community in Kansas, Colorado and across the nation,' Davids said, 'please know that I am standing with you. We mourn with you. We recommit to creating a world where no one fears for their safety because of who they are.' Davids offered her thoughts Tuesday in collaboration with a group of representatives, including Kansas Republican U.S. Reps. Tracey Mann and Derek Schmidt. Milgrim was a 2017 graduate of Shawnee Mission East High School and earned a degree in 2021 from the University of Kansas. Her funeral service was May 27 at a synagogue in Overland Park, Kansas.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Shooting victim Sarah Milgrim remembered as 'a light' who fought antisemitism
Ayelet Razin says the sudden and tragic death of Sarah Milgrim has left her not only mourning her dear friend but also increasingly alarmed and angry about antisemitism. Authorities say Milgrim and her boyfriend, Yaron Lischinsky, were shot at about 9 p.m. as they left an event at the Capital Jewish Museum. The alleged shooter, identified as Elias Rodriguez, a 30-year-old from Chicago, yelled "Free Palestine! Free Palestine!" as he was taken into custody, Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith said at a news conference. Investigators believe Rodriguez acted alone. "It's not my regular response to something like this, to do media interviews," Razin said. "But if this isn't a wake-up call, I don't know what is." Milgrim helped coordinate meetings and discussions with Razin, an expert in international law and human rights, who previously served in Israel's Ministry of Justice, as she worked on Capitol Hill and in Washington to influence U.S. policies on terrorism, accountability and gender-based violence. Milgrim had worked at the Israeli embassy since November 2023, according to her LinkedIn profile. The work – hearing and seeing testimony from victims of antisemitic and gender-based violence – can be traumatizing to even experienced experts, said Razin. But Milgrim "felt this is her role in all of this catastrophe that landed on us" in the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. Speaking to USA TODAY via Zoom from Israel, Razin called Milgrim "a light and an enlightened person," someone whose presence could instantly lift the people around her. "That was her most powerful armor: her wit, her intelligence and her maturity," Razin said. Milgrim, who held a master's degree in international affairs from American University, a master's in natural resources and sustainable development from The University for Peace and a bachelor's degree in environmental studies from the University of Kansas, told Razin she'd joined the embassy staff in the wake of the Oct. 7 attack "after feeling a rise in antisemitism around her, something she hadn't sensed before, or at least not as strongly." "The same antisemitism she decided to struggle against full-force brought her tragic end of life," Razin said. Razin said she did not know Lischinsky, but was grateful to hear that her friend was "very happy and in love." Asked how she wanted Sarah Milgrim to be remembered, Razin smiled. "She entered a room and there was a glow, a shine, and that was her strongest force," she said. "People listened to her. She's calm, she was polite, and she used those tools to set the story right, to bring facts ... She joined this team in the embassy to use her skills, her talent, not in acts of violence but in diplomacy." As for returning to Washington, D.C. now that her friend is gone, Razin said she would, but it would not feel the same ever again. "We would meet in a coffee house across from the White House," Razin said. "I can't even imagine going back without her there, but if asked to, I will because it's continuing her mission." Razin warned that more acts of violence against Jewish people and Israelis will occur if those who spread hate, antisemitism and violent rhetoric are not held fully accountable. She called the current rise in antisemitism, both in the U.S. and abroad, "a dangerous movement." "This is not a sporadic act of violence," she said, pointing to the rising number of attacks on Jewish and Israeli people worldwide. "The strong antisemitic wave is being legitimized and normalized in the name of free speech. Not enough is being done. This is not the last murder. I am sure it will inspire others to do the same." Contributing: Melina Khan, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Friend says Sarah Milgrim was 'a light' who fought antisemitism
