Two 17-Year-Olds Arrested in Killing of Congressional Intern in Washington

Two 17-year-old teenagers have been arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with the fatal shooting of Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, a 21-year-old congressional intern for Rep. Ron Estes, in Washington, D.C. The shooting occurred near the Walter E. Washington Convention Center and is believed to stem from a neighborhood crew dispute; authorities are still searching for a third suspect. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro emphasized that the suspects will be tried as adults, criticizing the D.C. Council for lenient juvenile justice laws that she says enable violent criminals to evade accountability. Tarpinian-Jachym was described as an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire, and his death has prompted calls from President Donald Trump for a federal crackdown on crime in D.C., including consideration of reinstating the death penalty for murder cases in the district. Both suspects had prior encounters with the family court system, which Pirro argued has failed to rehabilitate them. The case is being prosecuted locally, and further charges are expected before a grand jury.