Tragedy struck near the U.S. Capitol when a young Congressional intern was gunned down in a senseless act of violence. Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, a 21-year-old working for Rep. Ron Estes, lost his life Monday night in a shooting that spared no innocence, as the Daily Mail reports. Washington, D.C.'s spiraling crime wave claims another victim, and the nation mourns.
Late Monday, gunfire erupted near 1200 7th Street, leaving Tarpinian-Jachym dead and two others -- a woman and a 16-year-old male -- wounded. The Metropolitan Police Department believes the attack was deliberate, but Tarpinian-Jachym, an intern with dreams of public service, was merely a bystander caught in the crossfire. This is what happens when urban chaos is left unchecked.
Around 10:30 p.m., police responded to reports of shots fired, finding Tarpinian-Jachym unconscious and the other victims alert but injured. Multiple suspects, exiting a vehicle with cold precision, unleashed a hail of bullets on a group of people. Progressive policies coddling criminals have turned D.C. streets into a war zone.
The three victims, struck by gunfire, were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. Tarpinian-Jachym, despite medical efforts, succumbed to his wounds by Tuesday. Another life cut short because soft-on-crime agendas prioritize feelings over safety.
Tarpinian-Jachym had been interning for Estes for just two months, according to a LinkedIn profile believed to be his. A rising senior at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, he majored in finance with a political science minor, embodying the ambition of America’s youth. Yet, D.C.’s failure to enforce law and order robbed him of his future.
Before Capitol Hill, Tarpinian-Jachym worked at a government relations firm in D.C., sharpening his skills in public policy. A Springfield native and Pope Francis Preparatory School alumnus, he was the pride of his community. Now, that community grieves, betrayed by a system that refuses to prioritize their safety.
"I will remember his kind heart and how he always greeted anyone who entered our office with a cheerful smile," Rep. Estes said. Kind words, but they ring hollow when D.C.’s leaders let criminals roam free, turning interns into collateral damage. Conservatives know strong policing, not platitudes, saves lives.
Rep. Estes, a Kansas Republican since 2017, serves on key House committees, including Ways and Means and the Social Security Subcommittee, which he chairs. His office became Tarpinian-Jachym’s training ground for public service. But no internship should end in a body bag -- D.C.’s leadership must answer for this.
"We are grateful to Eric for his service to Kansas' 4th District and the country," Estes added. Gratitude is fine, but justice is better -- why aren’t city officials cracking down on the gang violence plaguing our nation’s capital? The silence from progressive lawmakers is deafening.
The Metropolitan Police Department is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the shooters. Tips can be called in at (202) 727-9099 or texted to 50411. If only D.C.’s leaders showed this urgency before bullets flew, Eric might still be alive.
"A rising senior at UMass Amherst, Eric was in D.C. interning on Capitol Hill, pursuing his passion for public service," said Rep. Richard E. Neal. Noble sentiment, but Neal’s party pushes defund-the-police rhetoric that emboldens thugs. Spare us the crocodile tears -- fix the broken system.
"Eric embodied what it means to be part of a community committed to learning, growth, and civic engagement," Neal continued. Civic engagement didn’t save Eric from a bullet; nor will woke buzzwords stop the next shooting. America demands real solutions, not flowery eulogies.
"Any parent will tell you there is no greater pain than the pain of losing a child," Neal said. Heartbreaking, but where’s the outrage over policies that let criminals turn D.C. into a killing field? Parents deserve better than condolences—they deserve safe streets.
Tarpinian-Jachym’s death is a grim reminder of the cost of unchecked urban violence. The nation’s capital, once a beacon of democracy, now bleeds under the weight of progressive mismanagement. Conservatives warned this would happen when “reform” became code for lawlessness.
America mourns a young man who sought to serve his country, only to be struck down by the chaos liberal policies have wrought. Eric Tarpinian-Jachym deserved better -- his death must be a wake-up call. It’s time to restore order, lock up criminals, and make D.C. safe again.
