Good afternoon, Chicago.
A suspect in the fatal shootings of two members of the Israeli Embassy near the Jewish museum in Washington, D.C., has been identified as a Chicago man who apparently has railed on social media against the ongoing bombing of Gaza by Israel.
Elias Rodriguez, 31, of the 4700 block of North Troy Street, was being held for questioning, authorities said today. He was being interviewed by D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department as well as the FBI, according to officials.
Police today blocked the street outside his apartment building in the Albany Park neighborhood on the city’s Northwest Side. By 8:15 a.m., a stream of heavily armed men, the letters FBI inscribed on their backs, were seen leaving the brick, U-shaped apartment building, where one apartment window had a sign in the window reading “Justice for Wadea,” a reference to the killing of 6-year-old Wadea Al-Fayoume by his family’s landlord in the suburbs in 2023.
Here’s what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit chicagotribune.com/latest-headlines and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices.
Subscribe to more newsletters | Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in History
Piping plovers return to Waukegan beach to start family: ‘It’s drama already’
Pepper and Blaze — the captive-reared, federally endangered piping plover chicks released on a Lake County beach in 2023 — are back in Waukegan for the second year as breeding adults and the pair is already incubating a full clutch of four eggs. Read more here.
More top news stories:
- Arrests happening inside Chicago’s immigration court, attorneys say: ‘People are going to be afraid’
- Homer Glen man charged with threatening state Rep. Nicole La Ha
- Naperville police say there will be ‘zero tolerance’ for lawbreaking after large teen groups gather downtown
Stocks drift as worries about the US government’s soaring debt continue to weigh
The choppy trading this week and sharp decline for stocks yesterday follows several weeks of mostly gains that have brought the S&P 500 back within 5% of its all-time high. Read more here.
More top business stories:
- Stop making cents: US Mint moves forward with plans to kill the penny
- What to know about President Trump’s ‘no tax on tips’ proposal that’s included in the GOP budget bill
Chicago Blackhawks name Jeff Blashill, the former Detroit Red Wings coach, their 42nd head coach
Former Detroit Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill, who spent the last three seasons as an assistant on Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper’s staff, has been named the 42nd head coach in Hawks history. Read more here.
More top sports stories:
- Chicago baseball report: Cubs lead the majors in 1st-pitch action, while the White Sox are on par with last year
- Chicago Bears will host Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills for joint practices before preseason games
Review: Paul Simon’s ‘Quiet Celebration’ is a night to lean into his music
Opening the two-set concert with a full performance of “Seven Psalms,” his 2023 album comprised of a continuous suite of seven songs, Paul Simon presented a fearless meditation on mystery, mortality and the great beyond. Read more here.
More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories:
- TimeLine Theatre Company announces the first show in its new Uptown space
- Chicago beaches set to open for summer season on Friday
Judge blocks Trump’s orders to dismantle the Education Department and fire employees
U.S. District Judge Myong Joun in Boston granted a preliminary injunction stopping the Trump administration from carrying out plans announced in March that sought to work toward Trump’s goal to shut down the department. Read more here.
More top stories from around the world: