Elias Rodriguez, the shooter accused of the murder of two Israeli embassy staffers in Washington DC on Wednesday night, was charged on Thursday with two counts of murder.
According to an affidavit quoted by Fox News, Rodriguez has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder, murder of foreign officials, causing the death of a person through the use of a firearm, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
“During an interview with MPD detectives, after having been advised of his Miranda rights and after waiving them, Rodriguez expressed admiration for the actions of an individual who self-immolated in front of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., on February 25, 2024, as a form of protest intended to draw attention to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” the affidavit alleged.
“Rodriguez described this person’s actions as courageous and labeled him a ‘martyr.’ Rodriguez also stated that he had purchased a ticket to the event at the Museum approximately three hours prior to its commencement.”
The two victims murdered in the attack have been identified as Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim.
Sky News reported on Thursday that Rodriguez was affiliated with a radical left-wing organization and regularly disseminated anti-Israel messages.
The report stated that Rodriguez had scheduled a post to publish an hour after the attack, accusing Israel of committing "atrocities" against Palestinians.
In the post, he wrote, "The atrocities committed by Israelis against Palestine go beyond what words can describe." He claimed that "public opinion has turned against the apartheid state committing genocide," and criticized the American administration for its inaction.
The investigation has found that Lischinsky and Milgrim were leaving an event at the Jewish Museum when Rodriguez approached a group of four people and began shooting.
Footage shared on social media captured Rodriguez's arrest, during which he was handcuffed by police and shouted, "Free Palestine."