A college student working as a congressional intern in Washington, D.C., died Tuesday after being mortally wounded in a triple shooting, authorities said.
Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, 21, had been working in Kansas Rep. Ron Estes’ office ahead of his senior year at UMass Amherst in the fall. Police believe he was not the target of the Monday night shooting.
“We are grateful to Eric for his service to Kansas’ 4th District and the country,” Estes, a Republican, said in a statement. “I will remember his kind heart and how he always greeted anyone who entered our office with a cheerful smile.”
Tarpinian-Jachym was walking down a street in northwest D.C. when a group of people hopped out of a vehicle and opened fire, the Metropolitan Police Department said in a statement on Wednesday. In addition to Tarpinian-Jachym, an unidentified woman and a 16-year-old boy were also wounded in the shooting and are expected to survive.
Cops said the teen was possibly involved with the group of people who opened fire, but investigators have not publicly identified the intended target of the shooting.
No suspects had been arrested as of Thursday afternoon. Officers tracked the suspect vehicle, a black Acura, to a nearby location and seized it, according to ABC News.
D.C. police are offering a $25,000 reward for tips or information leading to arrests in the case.
