On May 21, two Israeli Embassy diplomats, Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Milgrim, 26, a soon-to-be-engaged couple, were fatally shot outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., as they were leaving a Young Diplomats Reception hosted by the American Jewish Committee, where they were ironically discussing how to send more aid to Gaza.
The suspect, 31-year-old Chicago native Elias Rodriguez, allegedly paced outside the museum, approached a group of four, and opened fire with a handgun, killing both Lischinsky and Milgrim. According to reports, he shouted, “Free, free Palestine” and “I did it for Gaza.”
Rodriguez has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder, murder of foreign officials, causing death with a firearm, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. The FBI and D.C. police are investigating the shooting as a hate crime and act of terrorism.
“Let me just paint the scene for you,” says Glenn Beck. “He comes out, and he has an H&K 9mm pistol. He shoots it 21 times at these two — 21 times! That's rage. He then reloads as Milgrim, the girl, is trying to crawl away. … He reloads and shoots her more.”
Should we be shocked by this heinous act of terrorism?
As more and more disturbing information about Rodriguez's background comes to light, the answer to that question is no — this isn’t shocking at all.
Rodriguez “has ties to a radical left-wing group — Party for Socialism and Liberation” — an American communist political party that identifies as Marxist-Leninist and advocates for a socialist revolution to overthrow capitalism.
Further, “law enforcement sources have told the New York Post that he was a regular fixture at protests for causes, including the 2014 police shooting of teen Laquan McDonald, Black Lives Matter, and more. He has recently been at all the rallies opposing the war in Gaza,” says Glenn.
Rodriguez’s GoFundMe page, which he started in 2017, aimed to raise money so he could attend “the People's Congress of Resistance, which was a leftist gathering in Washington D.C. that rallied under the slogan 'stand against imperialism, down with the warfare state.”’
“In other words, destroy America,” translates Glenn.
The page also featured a testimonial about how, at age 11, his father’s Iraq War deployment and return with war souvenirs, including an Iraqi flag patch and a magazine pouch, sparked his opposition to U.S. military actions, shaping his radical worldview.
When the FBI stormed Rodriguez’s house, they found a variety of signs, including one that read “Justice for Wadea,” which refers to Wadea Al-Fayoume, a 6-year-old Palestinian-American boy killed in a 2023 hate crime in Illinois, as well as a Hello Kitty sign.
Rodriguez had an active online presence, too. He posted messages praising Luigi Mangione, the alleged murderer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, and phrases like “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.” After Trump’s election win, he posted, “Don’t blame me, I voted for Hamas.” In December of 2024, he posted, “Violence does not have to happen but if it does then it should."
“Stupidity doesn't have to happen, but when it does, it should,” mocks Glenn.
To hear more about Rodriguez’s shady background, watch the episode above.
To enjoy more of Glenn’s masterful storytelling, thought-provoking analysis, and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.
Two Israeli embassy staffers were shot at close range as they left an event Wednesday evening at the Capital Jewish Museum building in Washington, D.C. The suspected gunman, a pro-Palestinian Marxist from Chicago, allegedly shouted, "Free, free Palestine!" after his capture.
According to FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino, FBI police officers assigned to the bureau's Washington Field Office immediately responded and rendered aid after the attack. Despite their efforts and the efforts of members of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department, the victims both succumbed to their injuries.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry deemed the shooting a "brutal terrorist attack" and identified the victims as Yaron Lischinsky, a research assistant in the embassy's political department, and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, an aide who organized trips to Israel.
"Israeli diplomats and representatives around the world stand on the frontlines of Israel’s diplomatic efforts — defending the country with their very lives," said the ministry. "We will not be deterred by terror. We will continue our mission across the globe, with unwavering commitment to represent Israel with pride."
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Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter said that the "couple that was gunned down tonight in the name of 'free Palestine' is a young couple about to be engaged. The young man purchased a ring this week with the intention of proposing to his girlfriend next week in Jerusalem. They were a beautiful couple."
Leiter noted further that Israelis and Americans are resilient peoples who, together, "will overcome moral depravity of people who think that they're going to achieve political gains through murder."
'We are witnessing the terrible price of anti-Semitism and wild incitement against the State of Israel.'
The ambassador indicated that earlier in the evening, Attorney General Pam Bondi handed him a phone and on the other end was President Donald Trump, "who told me that his administration is going to do everything it could possibly do to fight and end anti-Semitism and the hatred that's being directed — the demonization and delegitimization of the State of Israel."
Trump, among the many Western leaders and diplomats who expressed sympathy for the victims' families and solidarity with Israel, noted early Thursday morning, "These horrible D.C. killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW! Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA."
"Condolences to the families of the victims," continued Trump. "So sad that such things as this can happen! God Bless You ALL!"
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Trump and Bondi for their "clear stance against anti-Semitism" and suggested that "we are witnessing the terrible price of anti-Semitism and wild incitement against the State of Israel."
Washington Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith told reporters that prior to the shooting, the suspect was observed pacing back and forth outside the museum. After approaching four individuals, including Lischinsky and Milgrim, the suspect drew a handgun and opened fire.
Smith indicated that after the shooting, the suspect entered the Capital Jewish Museum, where he was detained by event security.
Once in custody, the suspect, Elias Rodriguez of Chicago, indicated where he left the weapon, "implied that he committed the offense," and shouted pro-Palestinian slogans, said Smith.
'We have nothing to do with this shooting.'
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino indicated early Thursday morning that the Washington Metropolitan Police Department was interviewing the suspect in conjunction with the bureau's Joint Terrorism Task Forces team.
Bondi told reporters late Wednesday that the "defendant, if charged, will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
The Jerusalem Post reported that Rodriguez is a graduate from the University of Illinois who donated to Joe Biden's 2020 campaign.
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According to a now-deleted page on the website for the HistoryMakers, a research institution that documents and records black Americans' stories, Rodriguez served as an "Oral History Researcher," preparing "outlines and biographies of accomplished leaders in the African American community."
Rodriguez, who apparently also has a history of anti-white commentary, has been involved with the pro-Palestinian group Party for Socialism and Liberation. The PSL acknowledged that Rodriguez "had a brief association" with one of its branches but claimed his involvement ended in 2017.
"We have nothing to do with this shooting and do not support it," added the PSL.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser stated, "We will not tolerate acts of terrorism, and we are going to stand together as a community in the coming says and weeks that we will not tolerate the acts of terrorism that we will not tolerate anti-Semitism."
According to the Anti-Defamation League's latest annual audit, there were 9,354 anti-Semitic incidents last year, representing a 5% increase over the previous year, a 344% increase over the past five years, and a 893% increase over the past 10 years. The ADL report, released last month, said that 57% of the incidents last year were related to Israel.
The American advocacy group StopAntisemitism said in a statement to Blaze News, "The murder of two Israeli embassy staffers at an event honoring Jewish lives is the tragic result of 600 days of Jews being targeted on the streets, on campuses, and even with a Jewish governor’s home set ablaze. This is the end result of chaos fueled by calls for intifada and tolerated Jew-hatred. A win for the pro-Palestine movement that seeks to erase Jewish identity from the world."
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