Latest news with #USAttyPirro
Express Tribune
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Suspect charged with terrorism, murder in DC shooting of Israeli embassy staff
Security personnel work at site where two Israelis shot dead PHOTO:Reuter Listen to article Federal prosecutors have formally charged Elias Rodriguez, 31, with the murder of two Israeli embassy staff members in a targeted shooting outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington DC. The attack, labelled by officials as an alleged act of antisemitic violence, has sent shockwaves through diplomatic and Jewish communities worldwide. Rodriguez, a Chicago-based administrative worker, faces multiple federal charges, including two counts of first-degree murder, the murder of foreign officials, and firearms offences. Prosecutors say the killings meet the criteria for a death penalty case, though no final decision has been made regarding capital punishment. 'This was a calculated, hate-driven act of terror,' claims Interim US Attorney Jeanine Pirro at a press conference on Thursday. 'We will pursue justice to the fullest extent of the law.' @USAttyPirro and LE partners update on charges related to the deadly shooting of Israeli Embassy staff Watch here: — U.S. Attorney DC (@USAO_DC) May 22, 2025 The victims — Yaron Lischinsky, an Israeli national, and American citizen Sarah Milgrim — were a young couple who had attended a event at the museum on Wednesday evening. Witnesses say Rodriguez opened fire on a group of four people as they exited the venue, then appeared to stand over the fallen victims and fire additional shots before fleeing briefly and entering the museum, where he surrendered. According to court documents, Rodriguez shouted 'Free Palestine' during his arrest and later told investigators, 'I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza.' Rodriguez had arrived in Washington DC just a day before the attack, flying in from Chicago with a legally purchased 9mm handgun in his checked luggage. Surveillance footage and witness testimony indicate he was loitering outside the museum for some time before the shooting. The FBI continues to investigate Rodriguez's background. The suspect made his first court appearance on Thursday and was ordered held without bail. His next hearing is scheduled for 18 June. The incident comes amid a rise in detentions and restrictions targeting pro-Palestinian activists. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials, along with a private prison contractor, denied Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil a contact visit with his family—preventing him from holding his newborn son, CBS News reported. Israel's war on Gaza has resulted in the deaths of at least 53,762 Palestinians and injuries to 122,197 others, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The Government Media Office has since revised the death toll to over 61,700, stating that thousands still missing beneath the rubble are presumed dead.
West Australian
22-05-2025
- Politics
- West Australian
Capital Jewish Museum Washington DC shooting: Israeli embassy officials injured, two dead in US
Two people are reportedly dead and Israeli embassy officials have been injured after a shooting outside a Jewish museum in the United States. The shooting occurred outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington DC on Wednesday night, which was hosting an event at the time. Local media have reported that a man and a woman are dead, however, police are yet to confirm details about the reported fatalities. US Attorney General Pam Bondi travelled to the scene in the minutes after the shooting. 'I am on the scene of the horrible shooting outside the Washington, DC Capital Jewish Museum with @USAttyPirro .,' she wrote on X. 'Praying for the victims of this violence as we work to learn more.' Initial reports suggest an Israeli diplomat may be one of the fatalities. Unverified reports claim a person was heard yelling 'free Palestine' before shooting a man. Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, called the incident a 'depraved act of anti-Semitic terrorism'. 'The fatal shooting that took place outside the event that took place at the Jewish Museum in Washington, DC is a depraved act of anti-Semitic terrorism,' he wrote on X. 'Harming the Jewish community is crossing a red line. 'We are confident that the US authorities will take strong action against those responsible for this criminal act. 'Israel will continue to act resolutely to protect its citizens and representatives – everywhere in the world.' In an earlier post, Mr Danon said: 'Israeli embassy employees were also injured'. American Jewish Committee chief executive Ted Deutch said the group was 'devastated' 'We are devastated that an unspeakable act of violence took place outside the venue,' he said in a statement. 'At this moment, as we await more information from the police about exactly what transpired, our attention and our hearts are solely with those who were harmed and their families.' More to come...
