U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro announced Friday that two teenagers have been charged with first-degree murder in the killing of congressional intern Eric Tarpinian-Jachym.
Both suspects will be tried as adults, Pirro confirmed, while authorities continue to search for a third individual believed to be involved, as reported by The New York Post.
BREAKING: Two juveniles arrested and charged with murder in the death of DC intern Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, US Attorney Jeanine Pirro announces pic.twitter.com/YHcZtiiUb9
— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 5, 2025
Tarpinian-Jachym, 21, was shot and killed on July 1 in a drive-by shooting about a mile northeast of the White House. Investigators believe he was not the intended target.
“Eric didn’t deserve to be gunned down, and the system failed him — the system that felt that juveniles needed to be coddled,” Pirro said during a press conference. “And it’s bad not to be gunned down on any street, but to be gunned down in our nation’s capital is an outrage.”
Pirro used the announcement to criticize the District’s approach to juvenile crime.
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“The DC Council thinks that these kids need to be protected. They don’t need to be protected. They need to be made accountable, and we need to be protected,” she said.
“This killing underscores why we need the authority to prosecute these younger kids, because they’re not kids, they’re criminals.”
BREAKING: Jeanine Pirro announces that they’ve made TWO ARRESTS in the murder of Capitol Hill intern Eric Tarpinian-Jachym.
They are still pursuing a third suspect.
You can hear in her voice how passionate she is about this case. pic.twitter.com/qlnAAgU2xw
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) September 5, 2025
Tarpinian-Jachym was a rising senior at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he studied at the Isenberg School of Management. He was serving as an intern for Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kan.) at the time of his death.
Authorities have not released the names of the teenage suspects because of their ages, though Pirro confirmed they will face adult charges in the D.C. court system. The investigation remains ongoing as officials pursue a third suspect linked to the shooting.
The fatal drive-by is one of several violent incidents in Washington that have drawn attention to rising concerns over public safety. Law enforcement officials say the case demonstrates the need for stronger tools to hold violent offenders accountable, regardless of age.
Pirro emphasized that her office intends to pursue the maximum penalties allowed under law. “This killing is a stark reminder of what happens when violent criminals are allowed to terrorize communities,” she said.
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