Tamara Jachym, the mother of a congressional intern fatally shot in Washington, DC, has urged police to bring his killers to justice, warning other parents that the same tragedy could strike their families too.Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, 21, a student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, was shot around 10:28 p.m. on June 30 and succumbed to his injuries the following day. The shooting occurred in the 1200 block of 7th Street Northwest, according to the Metropolitan Police Department.Jachym told Fox News that law enforcement must act swiftly to arrest the shooters, warning: “They will do it again” if not held accountable.“This is a serious crime. A mile from the White House. This isn’t a joke. And then it happened again this weekend,” she said, referring to the fatal shooting of 3-year-old Honesty Cheadle during Fourth of July weekend in Washington, DC. “You know, the mayor has to get serious with this.”“I think Eric felt safe. It was early in the night. He was in a decent area, and this happened. And it’s a shame. Eric was the 85th victim, and now we have an 86th,” she added. As of now, 91 people have been killed in DC this year.Police said several individuals exited a vehicle and opened fire on a group, although Tarpinian-Jachym was not an intended target. A 16-year-old boy and an adult woman were also shot but survived.Investigators located the suspect vehicle and confirmed the shooting was targeted, but Tarpinian-Jachym was struck unintentionally.Eric was a rising senior at UMass Amherst, majoring in finance and minoring in political science. He had been interning for Representative Ron Estes, Republican of Kansas, since June.“I will remember his kind heart and how he always greeted anyone who entered our office with a cheerful smile,” Estes said in a statement. “We are grateful to Eric for his service to Kansas’ 4th District and the country. Please join Susan and me in praying for his family and respecting their privacy during this heartbreaking time.”An FBI spokesperson confirmed the bureau is working with local police on the case. Authorities have announced a $40,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. Tipsters can call (202) 727-9099.
