Tragic Shooting of Capitol Hill Intern Leads to Arrests of Two Teen Suspects

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.

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