Pirro Shares Chilling News After Congressional Intern Killed in DC
Washington, D.C. was rocked this week by the indictment of two teenage suspects charged with first-degree murder in connection with the tragic death of Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, a 21-year-old congressional intern who was caught in the crossfire of a drive-by shooting just blocks from the White House.
The suspects, Jalen Lucas and Kelvin Thomas Jr., both 17, allegedly unleashed a barrage of 79 rounds from two rifles and a 9mm handgun on June 30, in what prosecutors describe as a “reckless and targeted act of violence.” The attack was aimed at a nearby group but instead claimed the life of Eric — a senior at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and an intern for Rep. Ron Estes (R-KS). He succumbed to his injuries the following day, July 1.
The shooting occurred near a Metro station and the Washington Convention Center, an area already plagued by violent crime. Surveillance footage proved critical in identifying the suspects, both of whom now face trial as adults under District of Columbia law.
U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro confirmed that while the district does not permit the death penalty, her office is pursuing the maximum sentence possible and pushing for tougher laws against juvenile offenders.
“Eric didn’t deserve to be gunned down,” Pirro said, blasting what she described as a justice system that “coddles young killers instead of protecting law-abiding citizens.”
Pirro’s remarks echo a broader national debate over how to handle violent juvenile crime — a debate that has grown louder amid rising violence in urban centers.
Even Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser backed Pirro’s stance, calling cold-blooded murder “a crime that demands adult prosecution.” Her support signals rare bipartisan agreement on the need for stronger accountability measures.
President Donald J. Trump, in response to Eric’s murder and a series of recent assaults in the capital, authorized federal intervention in D.C., leading to the seizure of nearly 200 illegal firearms. The action is part of a broader White House initiative to restore law and order in the nation’s capital, which Trump has frequently called “a city out of control under decades of Democrat mismanagement.”
Pirro has urged Congress to reform how the justice system treats violent juvenile offenders, arguing that 17-year-olds who kill should face adult penalties.
“These young punks on the street with guns are a danger to every family in this city,” she said, pressing lawmakers for the authority to transfer such cases from family courts to criminal courts.
The federal crackdown, combined with intensified surveillance and new partnerships between federal and local law enforcement, signals a shift toward more aggressive prosecution strategies — a defining feature of President Trump’s second-term crime policy.
For many Americans, Eric’s death represents more than just another senseless act of violence; it’s a wake-up call about the consequences of leniency in the justice system. His loss has ignited bipartisan outrage and renewed calls for sweeping reform to ensure that violent minors are held fully accountable.
As Eric’s family mourns, Washington confronts a grim truth: without stronger deterrents, more innocent lives may be lost to what Pirro calls “a revolving door of juvenile crime.”