Washington, D.C

Suspect charged in Washington DC killings of two foreign officials

Published

10 months ago

May 22, 2025

Press Room

Suspect charged in Washington DC killings of two foreign officials

Max Matza & Nadine Yousif

BBC News

Watch: Jeanine Pirro lays out charges against DC shooting suspect

The suspect accused of gunning down two Israeli embassy staff members outside a Jewish museum in Washington DC has been charged with first-degree murder, as well as murder of foreign officials and related firearm charges.

Wednesday night’s attack is being investigated as a hate crime, and more charges are expected, US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said at a news conference.

“This is a death penalty-eligible case,” she said on Thursday, adding that it is too early to say whether prosecutors will decide to seek a death sentence.

Steve Jenson, from the FBI’s Washington DC field office, called the killings “an act of terror and directed violence against the Jewish community”.

Couple Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim were shot dead outside an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington DC around 21:08 local time (02:08 BST) on Wednesday, police said. The suspect opened fire on a group of four exiting the event, killing the two victims, police said.

Police identified the suspect as 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez from Chicago. He was arrested at the scene shortly after the shooting.

Reuters In a courtroom sketch, shooting suspect Elias Rodriguez, 31, charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the shooting near the Capital Jewish Museum — Shooting suspect Elias Rodriguez is seated, at left, as Magistrate Judge Matthew Sharbaugh presides in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.

Officials said he was seen pacing outside the museum before opening fire. Eyewitnesses told the BBC he initially was mistaken for a traumatised bystander, and given aid inside the museum.

One witness, Yoni Kalin, said people inside had been “calming him down”. “Little did we know he was somebody that executed people in cold blood,” he said.

Police said the suspect also shouted “free Palestine” before he was taken into custody.

The suspect landed in the Washington DC area one day earlier, Jenson said, and investigators are still piecing together his whereabouts before the attack. According to an affidavit, officials believe he flew on Tuesday from Chicago to Washington DC for a work conference.

Social media accounts linked to the suspect show he worked at the American Osteopathic Information Association (AOIA) in Chicago as an administrative specialist since 2024.

At his court hearing Thursday, the suspect was charged and ordered to remain in detention. His next hearing was scheduled for 18 June.

Israel’s ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter said shortly after the shooting that Mr Lischinsky planned to propose to Ms Milgrim during an upcoming trip they had planned to Jerusalem.

“They were a beautiful couple,” Leiter said at a news conference.

A vigil for Ms Milgrim was expected on Thursday in her hometown of Kansas City. She previously had spoken out about her fears of antisemitism in American public life. In 2017, she was interviewed by a local TV station after her school in Kansas was vandalised with a Nazi swastika.

“I worry about going to my synagogue, and now I have to worry about safety at school and that shouldn’t be a thing,” said Ms Milgrim, who was in her final year of high school at the time.

Police said the suspect was not on their radar and has no prior interactions with law enforcement. They said he admitted to the attack and is believed to have acted alone.

The gun used in the attack was a 9mm handgun legally purchased in Illinois in March 2020 and brought to Washington in his checked luggage. Illinois has some of the most restrictive gun laws in the US.

Social media accounts linked to the suspect also indicate that he was heavily involved in the pro-Palestinian protest movement. Investigators said they were working to authenticate writings online purportedly authored by him, accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza, criticising US policy and discussing the use of political violence.

A home linked to the suspect in Chicago was seen being searched on Thursday, and authorities also said they were scouring his electronic devices.

One of his neighbours in Chicago, John Wayne Fry, told reporters that he lived in the same apartment building as the suspect for around a year.

The suspect displayed a photo outside his flat of a Palestinian-American child who was killed in Chicago in 2023, Mr Fry said.

The man who killed six-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi was convicted of hate crime charges earlier this month. Officials said he was motivated by hatred for Islam and the conflict in Gaza.

It is unclear whether the suspect had any direct contact with the boy’s family.

Getty Images A photo in a window of a boy. It says 'Justice for Wadea

Jojo Kalin, one of the event’s organisers in Washington DC, told the BBC that the event the victims attended was focused on how to build a coalition to help people suffering in Gaza amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

She added it is “deeply ironic that what we were discussing was bridge building and then we were all hit over the head with such hatred”.

Watch: Event organiser describes giving suspected gunman water thinking he was bystander

The attack was condemned by world leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who said he “thoroughly” condemns the “antisemitic attack” in Washington DC.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the attack “a heinous antisemitic murder” and added that security would be increased for Israeli representatives and diplomatic missions worldwide.

US President Donald Trump also decried antisemitism in response to the attack, writing on his social media platform Truth Social that “hatred and radicalism have no place in the USA.”

Trump and Netanyahu later spoke over the phone about the incident, where the US president expressed sorrow to his Israeli counterpart, according to a readout of the call.

With reporting from Mike Wendling in Chicago

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Washington, D.C

Storm Team4 Forecast: Thick fog to clear before storms, rain Thursday night

Published

2 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Storm Team4 Forecast: Thick fog to clear before storms, rain Thursday night

4 things to know about the weather:

Grab the umbrella
Big temperature ranges
Thunder possible Thursday night
Warmer days on the way

Heads up commuters! For Thursday morning, there will be some thick fog in spots with some rain possible, especially around the Mason-Dixon line. The fog should clear out by 10 a.m.

Throughout the day, some sunshine should develop with highs warming into the low 60s. Those in Northern Maryland could see some showers throughout the day but those near the D.C. area will stay relatively dry except for a stray shower or two.

Some rain and evening storms by 8 p.m. will impact the area Thursday night. Although it’s a bit unusual for this time of year, don’t be surprised if you hear thunder Thursday evening.

Warmer temperatures coming this weekend

These next few days will come with some major forecast challenges.

Much, much warmer air is just to our south and cold, high pressure is moving into New England. The front separating the 40s from the 70s will be laying right across our region for the next two to three days.

So keep in mind, when you’re looking at the forecast highs in the text below, that it will be warmest in Fredericksburg, VA and coolest in northern Maryland.

Friday’s weather will be similar as a front system remains just over the area, separating chilly air to the north and warmer air to the south. There might be a stray shower or two, too.

For the weekend, Saturday looks to be the warmer of the two days with highs in the low to mid 70s. Some rain overnight Saturday will lead to cooler temperatures on Sunday.

Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to check the weather radar on the go.

QuickCast

THURSDAY:
Mostly Cloudy
Stray Shower Possible
Big Temperature Range
Wind: Southeast 5 mph
Chance of Rain: 40%
HIGHS: 62° to 72°

THURSDAY NIGHT:
Cloudy And Chilly
Rain Likely
Some Thunder Possible
Wind: Northeast 5 mph
Chance Of Rain: 70%
LOWS: 44° to 54°

FRIDAY:
Mostly Cloudy
Cooler For Most
Isolated Shower Or Two
Wind: East 5-15 mph
Chance of Rain: 20%
HIGHS: 52° to 68°

SATURDAY:
Partly Sunny
Breezy And Warmer
Isolated Shower
Wind: Southwest 10-20 mph
Chance of Rain: 20%
HIGHS: 66° to 78°

SUNDAY:
Mostly Cloudy
Cooler
Few Showers Possible
Wind: Northwest 5-15 mph
Chance of Rain: 20%
HIGHS: 64° to 72°

Sunrise: 6:35 Sunset: 6:05
Average High: 53° Average Low: 36°

Stay with Storm Team4 for the latest forecast. Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to get severe weather alerts on your phone.

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Washington, D.C

Tax expert explains DC filing season amid Congress-District dispute

Published

14 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Tax expert explains DC filing season amid Congress-District dispute

WASHINGTON (7News) — D.C. taxpayers may be confused by back-and-forth between the D.C. City Council and Congress over taxprovision. The city’s financial officer sent a letter to Mayor Muriel Bowser and D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson, that said the District’s tax laws will not change, despite recent actions by Congress.

7News spoke to director of Tax Policy at the Center for American Progress Corey Husak to explain the complicated tax policy.

“The short answer is, nothing changes. Filing Season can continue as it has been, continue as planned, and according to the laws as we understood them in January,” said Husak.

“If you’ve already filed your taxes, you don’t have to change anything. And if you want to file your taxes, the rules are still the same as they were on the books before,” said Husak.

RELATED | DC Council Chairman talks taxes, budget, bodycams, federal surge

Chief Financial Officer Glen Lee’s revenue estimate issued Friday does not include an estimated $180 million expected this fiscal year from the city’s decoupling law, “due to the uncertainty of the associated revenue as a result of Joint Resolution 142,” according to a released letter.

“The CFO was in a tough spot here. If he agreed with Congress, then businesses and overtime workers will get bigger refunds. But if he agreed with the Mayor and the Attorney General, then families with children and lower income workers would get bigger tax cuts,” said Husak.

SEE MORE | Development of new Commanders stadium scrutinized at DC oversight hearing

“We as District residents can’t control, you know what happens in the courts, what happens in, you know, what Congress does in the future,” said Husak. “But for now, the CFO has said, you know this is, this is a law as it stands, and the law that I’m going to enforce so, you know, file your legally obligated taxes, and maybe in the future, there’ll be a surprise.”

WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW

7News spoke to director of Tax Policy at the Center for American Progress Corey Husak to explain the complicated tax policy (7News).{ }

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Washington, D.C

CHERRY BLOSSOM COUNTDOWN: Peak Bloom prediction drops Thursday

Published

1 day ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

CHERRY BLOSSOM COUNTDOWN: Peak Bloom prediction drops Thursday

WASHINGTON (7News) — The nation’s capital is just about ready to be transformed into a breathtaking pastel landscape of cherry trees in bloom. The famed blossoms around the Tidal Basin are not only a symbol of spring’s arrival, but also of a long-standing friendship — a gift of more than 3,000 trees from Tokyo, Japan, to the United States in 1912.

So what is considered “Peak Bloom”?

The National Park Service (NPS) defines peak bloom as the time when at least 70% of the Yoshino cherry trees around the Tidal Basin have opened their blossoms. This is the period when the blossoms appear most full and spectacular and most ideal for photos, and soaking up spring’s beauty here in DC.

Because cherry trees respond to the cumulative effects of winter and spring weather, especially daily temperatures, it’s very difficult to predict peak bloom more than about 10 days in advance. Warm spells accelerate blooming; cold snaps slow it down.

Average Timing — What History Shows

Since 1921 overall, national data indicate peak bloom typically fell around early April (April 4), based on historical averages.

Average date peak bloom – cherry blossom trees Washington DC Tidal Basin

Since 1990, the average has kept shifting earlier and earlier. In fact, the last 6 years our peak has occurred in late March.

These shifts reflect how warmer springs have nudged peak bloom earlier over the decades.

Earliest & Latest Blooms on Record

Earliest peak bloom: March 15 — recorded in 1990.

Latest peak bloom: April 18 — recorded in 1958.

Of course, most years fall between those dates, with the last week of March to the first week of April historically being the most consistent window for peak bloom.

Earliest Peak Bloom Washington DC

Recent peak blooms show how variable and climate-dependent the timing can be:

2025: The National Park Service predicted peak bloom between March 28–31 (and confirmed the official peak around March 28).

2024: Peak bloom arrived very early, on March 17, several days ahead of NPS projections — tied for one of the earliest peaks in decades.

These examples demonstrate not only how much each season can differ, but also a trend toward earlier spring blossoms in recent years.

What to Expect for Spring 2026

As of early March 2026, the cherry trees are still dormant. The buds haven’t begun significant growth yet. The weather will become more critical in the weeks leading up to the bloom will be the biggest factor in determining when peak bloom happens in 2026.

Heavy winter cold, as experienced this year, tends to delay bloom compared with recent early springs. In contrast, an early warm stretch could push peak bloom earlier — as long as it doesn’t come with subsequent frost.

Look for the green bud stage first. This is when the buds are small, tight, and green, with no sign of petals yet. Trees are still several weeks from blooming.

Tips for Cherry Blossom Visitors

Plan in the “sweet spot” — peak bloom often lasts a few days to about a week, but weather (rain, wind, heat) can shorten that window.

Visit slightly before or after the predicted peak dates for smaller crowds and extended color. Blossoms can be gorgeous even before 70% bloom or as petals begin falling.

Check NPS updates and First Alert Weather forecasts in late March for tweaked peak bloom dates.

The cherry blossoms of Washington, D.C. remain one of the most iconic harbingers of spring in the U.S., and while exact bloom dates vary year-to-year, history and natural patterns point to late March through early April as your best bet for seeing the Tidal Basin in full floral glory.

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