WASHINGTON: The suspect accused of gunning down two Israeli embassy staffers outside a Jewish museum in Washington was charged on Thursday with murder.

Elias Rodriguez, 31, shouted `Free Palestine` as he was taken away by police after the shooting late on Wednesday outside the Capital Jewish Museum, prosecutors said in a court document.

`I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza,` he told police.

The Chicago man made an initial court appearance on Thursday after being charged with two counts of first-degree murder and murder of foreign officials.

If convicted, he could receive the death penalty.

Authorities were investigating the shooting `as an act of terrorism and as a hate crime`, Jeanine Pirro, interim US attorney for the District of Columbia, told reporters.

`I suspect as we go forward... that there will bemore charges added,` she said, noting that a preliminary hearing was set for June 18.

The killings took place outside the Capital Jewish Museum, located 1.6 kilometres from the White House, following a social event hosted by the American Jewish Committee for young Jewish professionalsandWashington`s diplomatic community.

Israel identified the victims as Yaron Lischinsky, an Israeli citizen, and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, a US employee of the embassy, and said they were a couple planning to marry.

Police said Rodriguez was seen pacing outside the museum before the shooting around 9pm.

According to court documents, Rodriguez approached his victims, who were facing away from him, and fired 21 rounds. He shot multiple times at the couple after they were already on the ground and bred at Milgram as she tried to crawl away.-AFP