This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
A suspect arrested while screaming "Free, free Palestine" in the ambush shooting deaths of a Jewish couple in Washington, D.C., has been linked to an extremist organization that advocates the demise of capitalism and the rise of socialism.
The organization, the Party for Socialism and Liberation, at one point acknowledged shooting suspect Elias Rodriguez as a member, but now is frantically issuing statements that he no longer is with the group, and they have not heard from him in years.
A report in the Washington Examiner identified Rodriguez as the suspect arrested for the shooting deaths of Israeli embassy staff members Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim outside the Capital Jewish Museum late Wednesday.
The report said Rodriguez was featured in an Oct. 25, 2017, article for Liberation, the PSL's newspaper, titled "Chicago Demands Justice for Laquan, Not Money for Amazon."
Its focus is a protest outside the residence of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel over an Amazon business deal, and the death of Laquan McDonald.
"The wealth that Amazon has brought to Seattle has not been shared with its Black residents," Rodriguez claimed at that time, linking the death of McDonald and Amazon plans.
"[Amazon's] whitening of Seattle is structurally racist and a direct danger to all workers who live in that city. So do we in Chicago and all across the country want a nation of cities dominated and occupied by massive corporations where only the rich and white can live and the vast majority of us must live on the edges of the city and society living in deeper and deeper poverty?"
The page was taken down but still appeared in an archived version on the Wayback Machine.
PSL responded to reporting of the link immediately.
"We reject any attempt to associate the PSL with the DC shooting. Elias Rodriguez is not a member of the PSL. He had a brief association with one branch of the PSL that ended in 2017. We know of no contact with him in over 7 years. We have nothing to do with this shooting and do not support it," the party said.
President Donald Trump reacted with a rejection of the violence.
"These horrible D.C. killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW! Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA. Condolences to the families of the victims. So sad that such things as this can happen! God Bless You ALL!" Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
The two embassy workers were leaving at event at the Capital Jewish Museum when attacked by a suspect who apparently was Rodriguez, 30, of Chicago.
Reports said Rodriguez apparently was seen pacing back and forth outside the museum before he approached a group of four, which included the two victims.
He began shooting.
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino called the attack an "act of terror" and said, "Last night's act of terror has the full attention of your FBI. Targeted acts of anti-Semitic violence are typically carried out by spineless, gutless cowards. And the penalties will be harsh as we tighten up this investigation and run down any additional leads. I should have additional updates for you shortly as I head back to FBI HQ."
Tal Naim Cohen, of the Israeli embassy, told Fox News, "We have full faith in law enforcement authorities on both the local and federal levels to apprehend the shooter and protect Israel's representatives and Jewish communities throughout the United States."
Danny Danon, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, said the deadly shooting was a "depraved act of anti-Semitic(sic) terrorism" in a social media statement.
"Harming diplomats and the Jewish community is crossing a red line. We are confident that the US authorities will take strong action against those responsible for this criminal act. Israel will continue to act resolutely to protect its citizens and representatives – everywhere in the world," he wrote.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a statement from his office, said he was outraged.
