The fatal shooting of Capitol Hill intern Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, a 21-year-old student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, has sparked a major manhunt in Washington, D.C., with two teenagers now charged in the premeditated murder while armed. The victim, who served as an intern for Rep. Ron Estes, R-Kan., was shot on June 30, approximately a mile from the White House. The suspects, Kelvin Thomas Jr. and Jailen Lucas, were arrested on Friday and charged as adults with premeditated first-degree murder while armed. The police are still searching for Naqwan Antonio Lucas, 18, of Granby, Massachusetts, who is wanted on a D.C. Superior Court warrant for premeditated first-degree murder while armed.
The suspects are also accused of injuring a woman and a 16-year-old boy during the attack. The Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) has offered a standard $25,000 reward for information leading to a D.C. homicide conviction. However, the FBI and the U.S. Marshals Service have increased this reward to a total of $50,000, with officials urging anyone with information on Naqwan Lucas to contact police. In July, the House held a moment of silence for Tarpinian-Jachym, with Rep. Estes expressing his grief, calling the intern a ‘dedicated and thoughtful and kind person who loved our country.’
The mother of the slain intern has criticized the D.C. Council for allegedly treating violent crime as a ‘joke,’ amid the ongoing investigation into the murder. Attorney General Pam Bondi has stated that the suspects will face severe justice if convicted, adding that this may provide some measure of solace to the victim’s family. The case has drawn significant attention, with multiple news outlets reporting on the developments, including the release of mugshots for the two arrested teenagers and the ongoing search for the third suspect.
Authorities have not yet confirmed any familial relationship between the two teenagers arrested and the third suspect, Naqwan Lucas. Additionally, there is no confirmation of whether he has a prior criminal record. The ongoing manhunt and reward offer highlight the seriousness of the case and the public’s concern for justice in the wake of the tragic incident.