The FBI says the murder of a Jewish couple in Washington, D.C., was an act of targeted antisemitic violence.
The suspect in the double murder was heard shouting "Free Palestine" as he was being handcuffed.
On Thursday he was arraigned and formally charged with multiple counts of murder and federal firearm charges. He could face the death penalty if convicted of the attack.
Israel on Friday was preparing to receive the body of Yaron Lischinsky, the Israeli citizen that was shot and killed.
The second victim, Sarah Milgrim, was remembered Thursday night during a vigil in Wichita, Kansas.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said Thursday the government was ratcheting up security at Jewish institutions around Washington. Now we're learning that that is happening all across the globe. In Paris, there are extra police around Jewish institutions. Synagogues in New York City are getting extra police.
But there was a letter written by some of the nation's top Jewish institutions saying those measures are not enough.
In the letter, they called on the FBI to make a bigger priority of going after antisemitic talk that they call hate speech. They are also pushing for social media platforms to take down that kind of speech and calling on Congress to spend upwards of $1 billion on grants for security at these types of institutions.
That funding has been around for a very long time. But the letter notes that only 43% of applicants that actually try to get this funding are actually approved.
Ron Halber, CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, said the funding was "to ensure that the Jewish community and all groups that are concerned about victim hate crimes have the ability to hire off-duty police officers on an ongoing basis for years to come, to ensure that their facilities and the outside perimeters around their facilities, where people are gathering to attend their programs, are secure."
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More details are also surfacing about the alleged shooter, Elias Rodriguez. An affidavit filed in federal court Thursday said that he was fascinated with a man who had set himself on fire at the Israeli embassy in Washington last year and said that he considered that person to be a martyr.
Rodriguez is quoted as having said "Free, Free Palestine" when arrested. He also told the police, "I did it for Gaza. I did it for Palestine."
Authorities say Rodriguez purchased the gun used the crime legally in Illinois back in 2020. He carried it in checked luggage on a flight on Tuesday, the day before the shooting in Washington, D.C.
Authorities are still investigating whether he worked with anyone and whether he was inspired by any other actors.
Rodriguez will remain in custody until his next court date on June 18.
