A newly released indictment on Wednesday (February 4th) reveals that US prosecutors have added four terrorism charges against a man accused of killing two Israeli diplomats in Washington DC last May.
The US Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia stated that the new indictment includes nine charges, including hate crime charges previously filed. Some of these charges, if proven, could result in the death penalty or life imprisonment.
US prosecutor Jeanine Ferris Pirro stated in a release, “Under the DC Code, these additional terrorism-related charges will result in mandatory life imprisonment, reflecting the reality that this conduct is, in fact, terrorist behavior.”
Prosecutors allege that 31-year-old Elias Rodriguez opened fire as a gathering for young professionals and diplomats organized by the American Jewish Committee dispersed. The committee is an advocacy organization dedicated to combating anti-Semitism and supporting Israel.
According to prosecutors, Rodriguez fired approximately 20 shots with a semi-automatic handgun, while shouting “Free Palestine.”
Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, 26, both perished in the shooting, were a couple who worked at the Israeli Embassy in the US.
Darren B. Cox, Assistant Director in Charge of the Washington Field Office of the FBI, stated that Rodriguez authored and published a manifesto, attempting to “morally justify his actions” and inciting others to commit political violence.
The shooting incident has been condemned by leaders around the world, occurring at a time when the US was politically polarized over the Gaza conflict.
The war was Israel’s response to the October 2023 terrorist attack by Hamas, resulting in the deaths of at least 1,665 Israelis and foreign nationals. According to data from the Gaza Health Ministry controlled by Hamas, over 67,000 Palestinians lost their lives in the Gaza conflict between October 7, 2023, and October 7, 2025.
(This article is based on Reuters reporting)