US prosecutors seeking death penalty for suspected Washington DC shooter

Lischinsky was the first shot, per the police report, before the shooter shot a wounded Milgrim multiple times as she attempted to crawl to safety.

The two victims were a couple and were, according to their families, due to be engaged the following week.

Rodriguez was detained at the scene and a video purporting to show his arrest circulated on social media, during which he could reportedly be heard shouting “free, free Palestine”.

However, prosecutors claim that the shooter did not know in advance that the pair were embassy workers and simply targeting the AJC event.

Meanwhile, a manifesto published by an X account in Rodriguez’ name claimed that killing the pair was the “only sane thing to do”, adding: “The action would have been morally justified taken 11 years ago...around the time I personally became acutely aware of our brutal conduct in Palestine.”

The letter concluded, “I love you Mom, Dad, baby sis, the rest of my familia, including you, O*****. Free Palestine.”

CNN has subsequently reported that the DoJ will look to pursue the death penalty should Rodriguez’ case come to trial.

There was a de facto moratorium on federal executions between 2003 and 2020, but the practice was revived by the Biden administration.

However, no federal prisoners have been executed since Dustin Higgs, who was convicted of three counts of first-degree murder as well as firearm and drugs charges, in January 2021, prompting national debate due to alleged flaws in his convictions.

This was followed by a fresh moratorium, which has now been revoked as President Trump’s attorney-general, Pam Bondi, issued a memorandum in February reinstating federal executions.