The culprit of the murder of Israeli embassy staff has been identified; read full story

Elias Rodriguez, 30, of Chicago, has been named by authorities as a suspect in the shooting deaths of two Israeli embassy employees close to a Jewish museum in Washington, D.C.

The victims were identified as Yaron and Sarah by Israel’s consulate in the United States. “No words can express the depth of our grief and horror at this devastating loss,” added the statement.

Social media video shows somebody yelling “free, free Palestine” being escorted out of what seemed to be the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., by police.

Pamela Smith, the chief of the Washington Metropolitan Police, informed reporters that the suspect repeated the same chant while being held. Prior to the incident, Smith claimed to have observed somebody pacing outside the museum.

After the incident, an eyewitness inside the museum told WAGA-TV that a man first received assistance as he raced inside the facility.

“This person got in by accident thanks to the security guard. Several attendees gave him water as he soaked in the rain, clearly traumatized and in shock. They sat him down and said, “Are you okay?” Did someone shoot you? What took place? “Someone call the cops,” he says.

“But when the police finally arrived ten minutes later, he said, ‘I did this, sir; I’m unarmed,’ threw his hands up, took a red keffiyeh from his pocket, and began the free Palestine chanting. He was being carried out of the building while shouting, “Free Palestine,” and you know, “there’s only one solution in the intifada revolution.”