U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced that two teenagers have been arrested in connection with the murder of Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, a Capitol Hill intern. The 17-year-old was shot and killed on June 30 in Washington, D.C., during an incident involving multiple suspects who opened fire on a group of people. Tarpinian-Jachym, a University of Massachusetts Amherst student interning with Rep. Ron Estes (R-KS), died after being transported to a hospital.
Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith revealed that two 17-year-old residents of Washington, D.C.—Kelvin Thomas Jr. and Jalen Lucas—have been charged with first-degree murder while armed and premeditated. Both suspects are being tried as adults. A third arrest is pending, according to Smith, who emphasized the investigation was led by MPD detectives with federal agency support.
The shooting occurred at the intersection of 7th and M streets NW. Authorities stated the victims were not the intended targets, as the violence stemmed from an ongoing “neighborhood crew dispute.” A woman and a 16-year-old boy were also injured but survived. Tarpinian-Jachym’s friend Phillip Petersen described him as a “good, smart Republican” and called for legislative action to improve D.C. policing.
Smith expressed hope that the arrests would bring “some sense of peace” to Tarpinian-Jachym’s family. The suspects were apprehended with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. No further details about motives or additional charges have been disclosed.