Who is Elias Rodriguez? US man who shot dead Israeli embassy workers in Washington

Police said Elias Rodriguez was seen pacing outside the museum before the shooting. He shouted 'Free Palestine, Free Palestine,' after being taken into custody.

By: Express Web Desk

New Delhi | May 22, 2025 06:36 PM IST

3 min read

Two Israeli embassy staffers, a young couple about to be engaged, were killed by a lone gunman as they left an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC (Reuters)

Elias Rodriguez shot dead two Israeli embassy workers in Washington DC, on Wednesday night, according to the police. He opened fire at a group of four with a handgun, outside an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, killing a couple, set to be engaged next week in Jerusalem.

Washington Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith said that Rodriguez was seen pacing outside the museum before the shooting.

He shouted “Free Palestine, Free Palestine,” after being taken into custody, she said.

“After the shooting, the suspect entered the museum and was detained by event security,” Smith said. “Once in handcuffs, the suspect identified where he discarded the weapon, and that weapon has been recovered, and he implied that he committed the offence.”

Also Read | A young couple, a ring, and a moment of joy that never came: Israeli Embassy staff killed in Washington were planning to get engaged next week

Who is Elias Rodriguez?

Hailing from Chicago, Illinois, 30-year-old Rodriguez is recognised for his activism with the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) and his participation in the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, according to The Times Of Israel.

In 2017, Rodriguez took part in a protest outside the residence of then-Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel as a member of the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL). The demonstration marked the anniversary of Laquan McDonald’s murder by Chicago police.

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The PSL, on Wednesday (May 21), urged its followers on social media platform to sign a pledge aimed at stopping Israel’s “genocide” in Gaza.

Trump condemns ‘horrible’ DC killings

United States President Donald Trump condemned the shooting, stating that there was no place for hatred and antisemitism in the US.

“These horrible DC killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW!” he said in a post on his Truth Social handle. “Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA. Condolences to the families of the victims. So sad that such things as this can happen! God Bless You ALL!”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also released a statement saying that he was shocked by the killings, expressing condolences to the families of the deceased.

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“We are witnessing the terrible price of antisemitism and the wild incitement against the State of Israel,” Netanyahu said. “The blood libels against Israel are costing us blood and must be fought relentlessly.”

“My heart aches for the families of the beloved young man and woman, whose lives were cut short by a heinous anti-Semitic murderer,” he said in a statement.

He further said that security will be heightened at all Israeli embassies around the world.

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