Suspect in Jewish museum shooting was mistaken for witness: report
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Washington: A disoriented man entered the Capital Jewish Museum in the US capital, Washington DC shortly after shooting on Wednesday night.
The people inside the museum mistook him for one of those fleeing the shooting that claimed lives of two staff members of Israel’s Embassy, NDTV reported citing NY Post.
The witnesses immediately offered him water thinking that he was a traumatized bystander.
It was a while before they learnt that he was the man who allegedly shot dead the Israeli diplomats.
Elias Rodriguez, 30, entered the museum visibly distressed and disoriented after the shooting incident.
Seeing him in distress, witnesses came over to help him, unaware he had just gunned down Yaron Lischinsky, 28, and Sarah Milgrim, 26.
The incident took place at about 9pm on Wednesday night outside the American Jewish Committee's ACCESS Young Diplomats Reception.
One of the witnesses Yoni Kalin told The NY Post that the man was ‘soaking wet, in a state of shock’, adding that ‘We just thought he was a bystander’.
Another witness, Sara Marinuzzi, said that Rodriguez was seen entering the museum shortly after the incident, adding that ‘We all figured he was a witness [because] he was so shaken up’.
The man stayed with the group for about 10-15 minutes, remaining calm all the while until police arrived.
One of the witnesses, Marinuzzi, said ‘When a man comes running in distress, the immediate instinct is to help,’ adding that ‘that's what we did.’
When police arrived Elias Rodriguez confessed, shouting ‘I did this. I did this for Gaza’, before yelling out loud ‘Free, Free Palestine. From the river to the sea and there's only one solution, the intifada revolution’, Yoni Kalin recalled.
Afterwards he reached into his backpack, triggering panic but pulled out a red keffiyeh scarf.
Both museum staff and security officials reportedly overpowered him before police arrested him.
A security footage showed Rodriguez walking past Museum workers Lischinsky and Milgrim, who were romantic partners, before turning to fire multiple rounds on them.
He moved closer after they collapsed and began firing again emptying 21 bullets from his handgun.