A late-night shooting in the nation’s capital has left a congressional office reeling and a family shattered. Federal prosecutors announced Friday that two 17-year-old suspects have been arrested in the June 30 killing of 21-year-old Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, an intern for Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kan.).
But authorities say the case is far from over. A third suspect, identified as 18-year-old Naqwan Antonio Lucas, remains on the run. Officials have now increased the reward for information leading to his arrest.
Tarpinian-Jachym, a rising senior at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, was gunned down just blocks from Capitol Hill while walking home after a late dinner with friends. Investigators say he was struck four times by stray bullets during what they describe as a “targeted attack gone wrong.”
“He was an innocent bystander,” U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said during a fiery press conference Friday. “Eric was caught in a violent act that was not meant for him. His death is a stark reminder of how fragile life is and how violence too often visits us here in the nation’s capital.”
The two arrested suspects, Jalen Lucas and Kelvin Thomas Jr., are facing charges of premeditated first-degree murder while armed. Pirro confirmed both teens will be prosecuted as adults due to the severity of the crime.
The third suspect, Naqwan Lucas — believed to be related to Jalen — has eluded capture despite investigators recovering the suspect vehicle last week. Authorities describe Lucas as “armed and dangerous” and are urging anyone with information to come forward.
According to prosecutors, investigators pieced together surveillance videos from multiple cameras across D.C. and conducted numerous witness interviews to identify the suspects.
“This wasn’t luck,” said a law enforcement source familiar with the case. “We had teams working around the clock reviewing hundreds of hours of video to track their movements. That’s how we found them.”
While announcing the arrests, Pirro also used the moment to launch a blistering attack on D.C.’s handling of juvenile crime.
“The D.C. Council has coddled young criminals for years,” Pirro said. “They reject mandatory minimums. They refuse to hold juveniles accountable. And now we’re seeing the deadly consequences of their policies.”
Pirro revealed that both arrested suspects had “violent juvenile records” in family court but claimed her office’s ability to intervene earlier was limited. “We need the authority to prosecute younger offenders before tragedies like this happen,” she said.
Prosecutors expect additional charges once the case goes before a grand jury later this month. In the meantime, federal and local authorities are intensifying the manhunt for Naqwan Lucas.
Rep. Estes’ office released a statement expressing grief and outrage over Tarpinian-Jachym’s death, calling him “a brilliant young man with a promising future” and demanding “justice for Eric.”
Anyone with information about Lucas’ whereabouts is urged to call the Metropolitan Police Department’s tip line.
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