Federal prosecutors have announced they will seek the death penalty for Elias Rodriguez, who is accused of fatally shooting two Israeli Embassy staffers outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. last year. The decision from the Department of Justice was made public in a court filing on Friday, fulfilling a legal requirement to notify the court and the defendant ahead of trial.

Rodriguez faces thirteen federal charges, including hate crimes, murder, and four counts of acts of terrorism, in the deaths of Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, 26. Prosecutors allege that Rodriguez traveled from Chicago to Washington with a handgun in his checked luggage and waited outside the museum before targeting the victims as they left an event for young Jewish professionals. According to surveillance and witness accounts, Rodriguez approached a group of four people, opened fire, and then advanced closer as Lischinsky and Milgrim fell, firing additional shots. He then reloaded and left the scene before returning to the museum to identify himself to authorities, reportedly saying, "I did it for Palestine. I did it for Gaza."

The Justice Department argues that a death sentence is justified due to substantial planning, the calculated and targeted nature of the attack, and Rodriguez's stated bias and motive. Prosecutors noted in their formal notification that Rodriguez "targeted individuals whom he perceived to have attended an event for young Jewish professionals ... to amplify the effect of his crimes," as reported by The Hill.

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro for the District of Columbia stated, "Let me be clear: anyone who commits acts of political violence in the nation’s capital will face the full force of the law." The Justice Department's recent filing comes after discussions with defense attorneys, who were given an opportunity to present evidence against pursuing the death penalty, according to NewsNation.

In addition to murder and hate crime charges, Rodriguez now faces terrorism charges, which legal experts say could strengthen the prosecution’s case for capital punishment. Defense attorneys have not commented publicly on the latest charges or the decision to seek the death penalty.

Witnesses and community members affected by the attack, like Yoni Kalin and JoJo Kalin, have expressed deep emotional impacts from the incident, emphasizing the importance of remembering the victims and the nature of the crime, as noted by FOX 5 DC.

The next court date for Rodriguez is scheduled for June 30. A trial date has not yet been set. The case marks the Justice Department’s latest move to reinvigorate the federal death penalty, a policy area that has been debated in recent years.

Vicki McKenna