The Justice Department charged Elias Rodriguez, whom they allege shot and killed two Israeli Embassy staffers in Washington, D.C. Wednesday evening, with first-degree murder on Thursday. Interim US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said the DOJ was investigating the shooting as both an act of terrorism and a hate crime and that it “will add additional charges as the evidence warrants.” CNN reports Rodriguez did not enter a plea and will remain in custody.

An F.B.I. affidavit said that Rodriguez, 31, told police, “I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza.” He reportedly told authorities that he was unarmed and was holding a red kaffiyeh at the time of the arrest. When police officers were escorting him away from the Capital Jewish Museum, where the shooting took place, Rodriguez shouted, “Free

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