The Democratic Socialists of America’s Liberation Caucus on Tuesday praised Elias Rodriguez, 31, the suspected gunman in the killing of Israeli embassy staffers Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Milgrim, 26, in Washington, D.C., and called for Rodriguez’s freedom.
“Elias Rodriguez’s targeted attack on two Israeli diplomatic staff on May 21, 2025, was a legitimate act of resistance against the zionist state and its genocidal campaign in Gaza,” reads the beginning of a statement from the Free Elias Rodriguez Organizing Committee.
The DSA Liberation Caucus wrote that this was an “excellent statement that we are proud to add our name to,” adding “Free Elias Rodriguez and all political prisoners.”
Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.), a long proponent of Israel, condemned the DSA—whose members include Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.)—for their “grotesque” statement.
“The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) has publicly endorsed the barbaric murder of a young Jewish and Israeli couple,” Torres wrote. “Its call to ‘Free Elias Rodriguez’ is a grotesque attempt to glorify a cold-blooded murderer.”
“After being shot, Sarah Milgrim struggled to crawl away,” he added. “Elias Rodriguez walked over and executed her at point-blank range. This is the antisemitic demon the DSA has chosen to lionize.”
When pressed on whether DSA endorsed the post from the Liberation Caucus, the organization directed JNS to a statement it posted to X on Wednesday.
“Democratic Socialists of America seek to democratically transform our society and reject vigilante violence,” the organization wrote. “We condemn the murder of Israeli embassy workers. Any statement otherwise is not the stance of DSA.”
Lischinsky and Milgrim were shot and killed on the evening of May 21 outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., where they were attending an American Jewish Committee event. Yechiel Leiter, Israeli ambassador to the United States, revealed that they were a couple about to be engaged. Milgrim was laid to rest in Kansas on Tuesday.
While being taken into custody, Rodriguez was filmed shouting, “Free, free Palestine.” According to an FBI affidavit, Rodriguez claimed that he “did it for Gaza.”
On May 22, 15 members of Israel’s parliament signed a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi requesting that she pursue the death penalty against Rodriguez.
