The individual who has been accused of fatally shooting a married couple from Israel in Washington DC had expressed his desire to ‘vote for Hamas’ and conduct violent attacks through disturbing posts on social media.

Elias Rodriguez, 31, was arrested in connection with the murders of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim outside the Capital Jewish museum.

Rodgriguez shouted, ‘free, free Palestine’ as he was apprehended on Wednesday night.

Through his social media activity, it has come to light that he strongly supported the militant causes of a particular nation, advocating for increased actions to support Gaza and to bring violence back home.

On the day of the US election, an account linked to Rodriguez re-shared a post which read: ‘Don’t blame me, I voted for Hamas’.

Another chilling post on X detailed a desire to attack the New York Times’ headquarters.

‘To all my progressive followers, while I appreciate engaging in discussions of the day’s topics, can we please postpone the theoretical debates on the ethics of launching an explosive-filled truck into The New York Times office until we have actually carried out such an attack,’ he wrote in one of his posts.

The X account’s profile picture features a grainy avatar wearing a medical face mask, with many progressives donning the face-coverings to make a political statement long after the COVID crisis ended.  

Elias Rodriguez, the man accused of shooting dead an Israeli couple in Washington DC, joked about wanting to ‘vote for Hamas ‘ in warped social media posts

Rodriguez was taken into custody on Wednesday night in connection with the double murder

An account associated with Rodriguez retweeted this statement from the day of the US election

The X account featured an avatar wearing a medical face mask

Other concerning entries included a post which read, ‘De@th to Amerikkka’ and sharing posts with the Israeli flag emoji followed by a pig and a knife.

Officials said that Rodriguez hails from Chicago. A witness said he was seen waving a red Keffiyeh, a sign of the Marxist-Leninist group, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

The posts on his suspected Twitter account echo sentiments found in a 980-page manifesto given to journalist Ken Klippenstein and believed to belong to the shooter.

The document calls for an ‘armed demonstration as a response to the ‘genocide’ in Gaza.

‘Public opinion has shifted against the genocidal apartheid state, and the American government has simply shrugged, they’ll do without public opinion then, criminalize it where they can, suffocate it with bland reassurances that they’re doing all they can to restrain Israel where it cannot criminalize protest outright,’ the manifesto reads.

Rodriguez was also previously associated with the Party for Socialism and was photographed protesting outside then-Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel’s home.

Sarah Milgrim and Yarón Lischinsky were identified as the victims in the shooting

However, the group has since strongly distanced themselves and insist Rodriguez is not a member.

His Linkedin indicates that he works for the non-profit AOIA which operates in the osteopathy field.

Rodriguez’s job title is listed as a profiles administrative specialist. Prior to that he worked as a researcher for The HistoryMakers, a non-profit dedicated to chronicling black history.

His company profile indicates he obtained an English degree from the University of Illinois.

Rodriguez was taken into custody over the deaths of Lichisnky, 28, and Milgrim, 26 who both worked for the Israeli embassy.

Heartbreaking reports have since emerged that the couple were about to become engaged, with Lichinsky planning to pop the question during a visit to Jerusalem.

Milgrim organized visits to Israel, while Lichisnky worked as a research assistant.

The couple had attended an event at the Capital Jewish Museum when the suspect, who had been seen pacing outside the museum, approached a group of four people and opened fire, Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith said at a news conference.

Dan Bongino, deputy director of the FBI, wrote in a post on social media that ‘early indicators are that this is an act of targeted violence.’ 

It comes amid Israel’s ongoing bombardment of Gaza in response to the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023 which killed 1,200 people and resulted in 250 hostages begin abducted.

Since then, Israel’s devastating campaign in Gaza has killed more than 53,000 people, mostly women and children, according to local health authorities, whose count doesn’t differentiate between combatants and civilians. 

An Israeli blockade has also caused widespread hunger and prompted fears of famine.

The shooting followed the American Jewish Committee’s annual Young Diplomats reception at the museum.

‘This is a shocking act of violence and our community is holding each other tighter tonight,’ Ted Deutch, American Jewish Committee´s chief executive, said in a statement early Thursday. 

‘At this painful moment, we mourn with the victims´ families, loved ones, and all of Israel. May their memories be for a blessing.’