The mother of a murdered congressional intern, who was a victim of a drive-by shooting, claims the Trump administration is taking her son’s death more seriously than the Washington, D.C., Council.
The Metropolitan Police Department reported that Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, a 21-year-old student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in Washington, D.C., for an internship, was shot on June 30 at approximately 10:28 p.m. and succumbed to his injuries at a hospital on July 1. Tarpinian-Jachym was interning for Rep. Ron Estes, R-Kan., at the time.
Witnesses observed several individuals exiting a vehicle before opening fire, with one of the bullets hitting Tarpinian-Jachym. Authorities indicated that Tarpinian-Jachym was not the intended victim, also noting injuries to an adult female and a 16-year-old male. The shooting occurred on the 1200 block of 7th Street, Northwest, near the Mt Vernon Sq 7th St-Convention Center Metro stop.
Jachym said “of course” the Trump administration is taking her son’s death more seriously than the D.C. Council.
“Or [the D.C. Council] would change the laws so 12- to 17-year-olds are booked and charged for crimes and get jail time or juvenile detention,” Jachym stated. “I am not saying for stealing a pair of shoes, but for severe crimes.”
“I believe that action is necessary because the council is permitting these individuals to commit grave offenses in D.C., and it’s deteriorating, not improving,” she continued. “It’s significant. And you know if they fail to recognize this as a serious issue, then we have a serious problem.”
The D.C. Council did not respond to a request for comment.
NBC Washington reported that juvenile arrests in Washington, D.C., have increased annually since 2000, with over 2,000 minors taken into custody in 2023 and 2024.
In 2024, juveniles made up 51.8% of robbery arrests, according to police, adding that almost 60% of those arrested for carjacking in 2025 are also juveniles.
Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith said the uptick in juvenile crime was one reason she helped establish a Juvenile Investigative Response Unit within the agency.
Eric Tarpinian-Jachym fishing (Facebook/Eric Tarpinian-Jachym )
“Recently, we have seen an increase in fights in our schools and more serious criminal offenses outside of our schools,” Smith said in April. “And we have seen an increase in juvenile suspects involved in criminal offenses district-wide.”
Jachym said the D.C. City Council needs to go a step further and ensure minors are held accountable for any criminal behavior because, right now, she feels it’s a “crime utopia.”
“I mean, if you’re old enough to walk around with a gun and pull a trigger, you’re old enough for the consequences,” Jachym said. “And these things that the council have in place are not working. Then what’s the alternative? Have more people killed, raped, robbed, carjacked? It’s just, you know, it’s really scary.”
More recently, two juveniles were arrested after allegedly assaulting a former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) employee in Washington, D.C.
Former DOGE employee Edward Coristine was attacked Aug. 3. (@realDonaldTrump via Truth Social)
The Metropolitan Police Department announced that a 15-year-old boy and a 15-year-old girl face carjacking charges after Edward Coristine was beaten Aug. 3 at around 3 a.m. Authorities said the teens tried to carjack Coristine and a woman identified as his significant other.
Police said Coristine got the woman inside of the vehicle while he confronted the group of people, which led to the attack.
