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Two 17-year-old boys have been charged with the murder of a young Congressional staffer who was gunned down just a mile from the White House.
Jalen Lucas and Kelvin Thomas Jr. are being charged as adults in the shooting death of aide Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, 21, U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro announced Friday.
Pirro said both teens have violent crimes on their records, and added that there is an unnamed third suspect who has not yet been arrested.
Tarpinian-Jachym was working as a DC intern for Kansas Rep. Ron Estes when he was shot in a drive-by shooting around 10:30 at night on June 30.
The Massachusetts native, who dreamed of a future in politics, was on his way to grab a late-night snack at McDonald’s when the gunmen opened fire.
Pirro said that investigators do not believe the young intern was the target, and said he was caught in the middle of an ongoing ‘dispute’ between rival gangs in DC.
A 16-year-old boy and a woman were also injured in the shooting, with the shooters leaving a 9mm pistol and 79 rounds at the scene.
Tarpinian-Jachym’s death became a flashpoint in DC in recent weeks as President Trump deployed National Guard troops to the nation’s capital, claiming it is overran with violent crime.
Two 17-year-old boys have been charged with the murder of Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, 21, a young Congressional staffer who was gunned down just a mile from the White House
Tarpinian-Jachym was working as a DC intern for Kansas Rep. Ron Estes when he was shot in a drive-by shooting around 10:30 at night on June 30
In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, Tarpinian-Jachym’s mother Tamara said she was distraught by the random act of violence that took her son’s life.
‘My son had a false sense of security that time of night in that area,’ she said. ‘It happened a mile away from the White House.
‘Eric took the bullet for a 16-year-old. He was an innocent bystander. I think America needs to know that they’re not safe in D.C. My son paid the ultimate price.’
Friend Phillip Peterson told Fox5DC that he will remember Tarpinian-Jachym as a kind and intelligent person who did not deserve his fate.
‘Eric was a good, smart Republican,’ he said.
‘Quite frankly, somebody in Congress should introduce a bill called the Eric Jachym Act that works on increasing police support in D.C, and Congress can do that.’
U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro announced Friday that two 17-year-old boys had been arrested and charged with the young Congressional staffer’s murder
Eric, pictured with his mother Tamara Tarpinian-Jachym celebrating his 17th birthday, had a close relationship with his parents
Officers from the Metropolitan Police Department responded to reports of gunfire around 10.30pm, near 1200 7th Street. Pictured: Police cordon off the area near the shooting
In a statement to the Daily Mail following the arrests on Friday, Attorney General Pam Bondi praised the response.
‘This is a testament to President Trump’s efforts to make Washington, D.C. safe again — the Department of Justice will continue our work to prevent other young people from suffering the same fate as Eric,’ Bondi said.
‘We hope this brings some measure of solace to his family.’
Despite a modest drop in overall homicides compared with this time last year, Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser and Metropolitan Police Department chief Pamela Smith are under pressure to address the recent spate of shootings, stabbings, car jackings and robberies.
There is talk now of potential political fallout from some Congress members using Eric’s death and the latest violent crime as a way to repeal the District of Columbia’s Home Rule Act.
‘These two women have to get on the same page and work collaboratively with the federal government if they need assistance to help make Washington D.C. and the District of Columbia safe for the people who live there, work there, and the people who visit from all over the world,’ Tamara said.
‘This is not a political issue. It is a safety issue. If it happened to my son it could happen to anyone. We need to have more police officers at night on the streets. This is a problem in the nation’s capital. It should be the safest place in America.’
Tarpinian-Jachym was described as a ‘smart’ and kind person who was caught in the middle of a random act of violence when he lost his life
A rising senior at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Tarpinian-Jachym was majoring in finance with a minor in political science.
Representative Ron Estes and his wife, Susan, released a statement offering their condolences to the Tarpinian-Jachym family.
‘I will remember his kind heart and how he always greeted anyone who entered our office with a cheerful smile,’ Estes said in a press release. ‘We are grateful to Eric for his service to Kansas’ 4th District and the country.’
Representative Richard E. Neal of Massachusetts also acknowledged Tarpinian-Jachym’s death in a statement, noting that he was a Springfield native and alumnus of Pope Francis Preparatory School.
‘A rising senior at UMass Amherst, Eric was in D.C. interning on Capitol Hill, pursuing his passion for public service,’ Neal said.
‘Eric embodied what it means to be part of a community committed to learning, growth, and civic engagement.’
Neal also expressed sympathy for Tarpinian-Jachym’s family, stating, ‘Any parent will tell you there is no greater pain than the pain of losing a child.’
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