President Donald Trump wrote to a grieving mother whose son, a congressional intern, was tragically killed in a shooting in Washington, D.C., expressing that he and Melania Trump are “heartbroken for your entire family.”
The victim, Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, was a 21-year-old student attending University of Massachusetts Amherst. He was shot at approximately 10:28 p.m. on June 30 and succumbed to his injuries on July 1, according to police reports. The incident took place on the 1200 block of 7th Street, Northwest, while Tarpinian-Jachym was serving as an intern for Rep. Ron Estes, R-Kan.
The police reported that a woman and a 16-year-old boy were also shot but survived the attack. The Metropolitan Police Department indicated that no suspects are currently in custody.
Several people exited a vehicle and fired shots at a group of people, including Tarpinian-Jachym. Tarpinian-Jachym wasn’t the intended target of the shooting, they added.
President Trump sent a letter to the family of Eric Tarpinian-Jachym. (Tamara Jachym )
Eric Tarpinian-Jachym fishing. (Tamara Jachym )
“Eric will be held in my heart, and I promise never to forget or forgive the terrible act that took him from us. Please know that my Administration will not stop fighting to clean up our streets and ensure law and order,” Trump added. “May God hold Eric in His eternal love and care and provide you and your other incredible children, Angela and Jeremy, with abiding peace and unending strength.”
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Eric’s mother, Tamara Jachym, said her son faced adversity in his life but always found a way to overcome it.
“He had ambition because he had some adversity in his life. A lot of things have happened to him. And he did struggle initially, like he had severe dyslexia as a first-grader. He couldn’t read or write, but boy, he could do it. He taught himself mathematics and how to play chess from YouTube,” Jachym said. “He had some adversity issues, but I think he felt accepted in D.C. because he was bright and articulate, and he was always kind of flat-faced. When he smiled, you knew he meant it. It was genuine.”
The FBI and Metropolitan Police Department are offering a $40,000 reward for anyone who provides information leading to an arrest and conviction, and are encouraging them to contact (202) 727-9099.
