As investigations unfold into the fatal shooting of two Israeli Embassy employees in the U.S. capital, the spotlight is now on the alleged shooter, Elias Rodriguez, 31, whose background is being scrutinized by law enforcement and the media.
Elias Rodriguez was reportedly seen pacing nervously outside the Capitol Jewish Museum shortly before the shooting occurred. Following the incident, he entered the museum and was detained by event security, according to authorities.
In the aftermath, a social media thread on X (formerly Twitter) surfaced, pointing to Rodriguez’s LinkedIn profile, which indicated he was working at the American Osteopathic Information Association in Chicago since 2024.
Prior to that, he was allegedly employed as a researcher at HistoryMakers, an institution dedicated to preserving and documenting African American history.
Elias Rodriguez is also believed to have past affiliations with several political and activist groups, including the ANSWER Coalition — known for its anti-war and anti-racism campaigns — and a brief connection with the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL). However, the PSL issued a statement clarifying that they had no association with Rodriguez for the past seven years.
Public records and protest footage reveal that in 2017, Rodriguez participated in a Chicago protest marking the anniversary of Laquan McDonald’s death, the Black teenager shot by police in a case that triggered national outrage. That protest also targeted Amazon for its alleged complicity in social and economic injustices.
Adding to the profile, Rodriguez had previously launched a GoFundMe campaign to attend the People’s Congress of Resistance in Washington, D.C. His stated goal at the time was to advocate for the end of what he called “imperialist wars,” reflecting his deep-rooted opposition to U.S. foreign military interventions.
According to journalist Alex Caprariello of NewsNation, Elias Rodriguez’s political views were shaped, in part, by personal experience — his father, a member of the Army National Guard, was deployed to Iraq when Elias was just 11 years old.
Authorities continue to investigate Rodriguez’s motive and whether the attack was premeditated or ideologically driven. The deadly shooting, which has deeply rattled diplomatic circles and drawn widespread condemnation, is being treated as a high-priority national security incident.
