Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, a 21-year-old intern for Republican Congressman Ron Estes of Kansas, was shot and killed Monday night in Northwest Washington, D.C.
The shooting took place around 10:30 p.m. in the 1200 block of 7th Street, just blocks from the U.S. Capitol.
Rep. Estes confirmed the intern’s death in a public statement.
“I will remember his kind heart and how he always greeted anyone who entered our office with a cheerful smile,” Estes said. “We are grateful to Eric for his service to Kansas’ 4th District and the country.”
Tarpinian-Jachym, of Granby, Massachusetts, was a rising senior at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, majoring in finance and minoring in political science.
Shot in a drive-by
According to the D.C. Metropolitan Police, multiple suspects exited a vehicle and opened fire on a group of people.
Tarpinian-Jachym was hit and later died at the hospital. Police say he was not the intended target.
Two others — an adult woman and a 16-year-old male — were also shot but survived.
“The suspect vehicle has been recovered,” police said. The shooters remain at large.
Washington’s deadly crime surge
The nation’s capital has become one of the most dangerous cities in America in recent years.
In 2023, Washington saw:
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Over 270 murders
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950 carjackings
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106 children shot
That put D.C. behind only New Orleans, St. Louis, and Detroit in homicide rate.
A report from House Republicans on the Budget Committee said the crime surge echoed the violence of the 1990s crack era.
Even powerful political figures weren’t spared:
Bowser spins the stats
In 2024, homicides dropped to 27.3 per 100,000 residents. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser tried to take a victory lap, claiming it was the result of her administration’s crime initiatives.
But despite the drop, the city remained ranked fourth in the nation for overall violence.