Home / Crime and Justice / Two Teens Charged in Senseless Murder of Massachusetts Student in Washington, D.C.
Two Teens Charged in Senseless Murder of Massachusetts Student in Washington, D.C.
5 Sep
Summary
- 21-year-old college student killed in triple shooting in D.C.
- Two 17-year-old suspects charged with first-degree murder
- Victim was working as congressional intern on Capitol Hill
On June 30th of this year, a 21-year-old college student from Massachusetts named Eric Tarpinian-Jachym was tragically killed in a triple shooting in Washington, D.C. Tarpinian-Jachym, a rising senior at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, was working as a congressional intern on Capitol Hill when he was gunned down in the northwest section of the city.
According to U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, Tarpinian-Jachym was an "innocent bystander" who was caught in a violent act that was not meant for him. The scene involved two rifles, one 9mm, and 79 rounds on the ground. Pirro described the young man's "senseless" killing, stating that he was hit four times.
Two 17-year-old suspects, Kelvin Thomas Jr. and Jalen Lucas, have been charged as adults with first-degree murder while armed for Tarpinian-Jachym's death. Pirro noted that the juveniles had prior violent records in the family court, stating "These are not kids, they're criminals, they're violent criminals."
The Metropolitan Police Department is still working to track down a third juvenile suspect. Tarpinian-Jachym's family is devastated by the loss, with his mother describing him as a "very kind, gentle soul" and his sister unsure if the family will ever fully recover from the tragedy.
