Federal prosecutors announced Wednesday that Elias Rodriguez, the Chicago man accused of murdering Israeli embassy staffers Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim in Washington, DC, has been hit with new terrorism-related charges in a superseding indictment.
Rodriguez, 31, had previously faced hate crime and other federal counts. The US Attorney’s Office in Washington said the new indictment replaces those charges with 13 counts, including four new allegations of acts of terrorism while armed. He remains charged with two counts of hate crime resulting in death and the earlier federal offenses.
“These additional terrorism-related charges carry a mandatory life sentence under D.C. Code, while also reflecting the reality that this act was in fact an act of terror," US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said, as quoted by NBC News.
Rodriguez is accused of opening fire on Lischinsky and Milgrim outside the Capital Jewish Museum in May, firing about 20 shots with a semi-automatic handgun. Prosecutors said he shouted “Free Palestine" and later told museum staff, “I did it for Palestine. I did it for Gaza."
He previously pleaded not guilty under the earlier indictment. Federal court records did not show a new plea or appearance on Wednesday. A federal public defender representing Rodriguez did not respond to requests for comment.
Rodriguez could face life in prison or the death penalty if convicted. Prosecutors have not yet filed notice on whether they will seek capital punishment.
The new indictment includes four counts of acts of terrorism while armed, tied to two existing counts of first-degree murder and two counts of assault with intent to kill. Rodriguez is also charged with murder of a foreign official, two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of hate crime resulting in death, two counts of causing death through use of a firearm, and two counts of assault with intent to kill.