Defendant in the Murder of Israeli Embassy Employees Indicted

• Elia Rodriguez is accused of murdering two employees of the embassy.
• The case could be prosecuted as a hate crime.
• Rodriguez stated that he believed the crime was committed for Palestine.

Washington (AP) — A man, who is accused of murdering two employees of the Israeli embassy in Washington, has been indicted on federal hate crime charges. Advocates confirmed that the charges against Elia Rodriguez include nine counts, including a hate crime that carries a death penalty.

The indictment, which was filed in federal court in Washington, also includes special findings that allow the Justice Department to potentially seek the death penalty. Rodriguez is accused of shooting at Yaron Lishinsky and Sari Milgrim, who were leaving a museum in April.

He was arrested after he began yelling "Free Palestine" during the arrest, and also told police that "I did this for Palestine, for Gaza." According to prosecutors, Rodriguez was captured on surveillance camera when he approached the victims and began shooting.

Rodriguez has not yet filed a formal plea in court and remains in custody pending a hearing on the murder charge on May 21. Prosecutors emphasize that proving the motive of hate in court could be challenging, especially since Rodriguez has repeatedly criticized Israel in connection with the war in Gaza.

Tags: USA/Crime