Who is Elias Rodriguez, the man accused of shooting 2 people outside DC's Jewish Museum?

WASHINGTON (7News) — According to his work bio, which is online at History Makers, Elias Rodriguez lives in the Avondale neighborhood of Chicago. That's where law enforcement visited on Thursday morning in Chicago.

31-year-old Elias Rodriguez was seen pacing in front of the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington moments before two Israeli embassy employees, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, were shot and killed.

Metropolitan Police Department Police Chief Pamela Smith said the suspect, Elias Rodriguez, 30, approached a group and opened fire. Rodriguez reportedly changed “Free, free Palestine" during his arrest.

Rodriguez reportedly flew into D.C.'s Reagan National Airport on May 21 with a firearm he reported to airport security at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, according to FBI officials.

SEE ALSO | Jewish community in shock after deadly shooting outside Capital Jewish Museum in DC

Rodriguez was associated with the Party for Socialism and Liberation, a far-left group that regularly posts anti-Israel rhetoric on social media. The group claims on social media that Rodriguez was not a member, and his association with it ended in 2017.

Federal charging documents report Rodriguez referenced a man who died after setting himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in February 2024.

Reports said he did attend at least one Black Lives Matter protest in Chicago in front of then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

According to his LinkedIn page, Rodriguez graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a degree in English.

He currently works at the Chicago-based American Osteopathic Information Association as an administration specialist.

SEE ALSO | Who were the Israeli Embassy staffers shot dead days before getting engaged?

His employers, AOA President Teresa A. Hubka, DO, FACOOG (Dist..), CS, and Kathleen S. Creason, MBA., released the following statement:

The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) joins with the American Osteopathic Information Association (AOIA) to express our profound sorrow in response to the tragic shooting deaths of two Israeli embassy staff members outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC, on Wednesday evening.

We were shocked and saddened to learn that an AOIA employee has been arrested as a suspect in this horrific crime. Both the AOIA and AOA stand ready to cooperate with the investigation in any way we can. As a physician organization dedicated to protecting the health and sanctity of human life, we believe in the rights of all persons to live safely without fear of violence.

In this time of grief, we extend our deepest sympathy to the victims’ loved ones and all others impacted by this act of violence. We wish for peace, comfort, and strength in the days and weeks ahead.

Previously, Rodriguez worked for the History Makers as a production and logistics coordinator & oral history researcher. History Makers is a Chicago-based national non-profit that preserves untold stories of both well-known and unsung African Americans.

He also spent three years at Coupon Cabin as a Senior Content Associate & Training Coordinator

Rodriguez only has 8 connections on his LinkedIn page and hasn't posted anything for months.

So far, 7News has not found any past run-ins with law enforcement for Rodriguez.