FBI joins investigation into fatal shooting of Congressional intern in DC

The FBI has joined efforts to find who shot and killed a congressional intern in Washington, D.C. 

Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, a 21-year-old student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, was shot around 10:28 p.m. on June 30, according to police, and died on July 1. The Metropolitan Police Department said the shooting happened on the 1200 block of 7th Street, Northwest, adding that a 16-year-old male and adult female were also shot and taken to area hospitals.

Investigators said multiple people exited a car and began firing shots at a group of people, which included Tarpinian-Jachym. Officials believe Tarpinian-Jachym wasn’t the intended target of the shooting.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, an FBI spokesperson said the agency is assisting the Metropolitan Police Department in the investigation.

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“We are aware of the incident and are assisting our law enforcement partners,” the spokesperson said.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police Department told Fox News Digital that no suspects are in custody.

Fox News contributor and former Washington, D.C., homicide detective Ted Williams told Fox News Digital he believes the FBI is getting involved since the death involved a congressional intern.

“The FBI would be involved primarily because he was, in fact, a congressional aide. So that’s one of the reasons that the FBI would actually get involved in this matter,” Williams said.

Williams called the shooting a “sad, senseless incident,” adding that “this is not the exception, but the norm in the District of Columbia.”

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Eric Tarpinian-Jachym is seen fishing. (Facebook/Eric Tarpinian-Jachym )

“The sad commentary about being in the District of Columbia or any of these metropolitan cities is that they are all, unfortunately, in a position where these kinds of acts can take place,” Williams said. “I don’t think you should feel safe in any area, in any metropolitan city.”

Tarpinian-Jachym was an intern for Rep. Ron Estes, R-Kan., according to a statement from his office. He was set to return for his senior year at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he majored in finance with a minor in political science.

“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.”

Tamara and Robert Jachym, Eric’s parents, told Fox News Digital in a statement they are “devastated” by his death.

“We are devastated by the tragic and senseless loss of our beloved Eric, a 21-year-old young man full of promise, purpose, and heart. Eric was an exceptionally bright and kind soul, with a deep love for the outdoors,” his parents said. “He found joy and peace in nature – whether hiking through the woods or casting a line into a quiet stream while fishing. He loved deep sea fishing, fishing off the shore in the Atlantic, and river fishing.”

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Rep. Ron Estes leaves a meeting of the House Republican Conference at the Capitol Hill Club on June 10, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

“Eric was passionate about learning and dedicated to public service. His recent internship with Representative Ron Estes in Washington, D.C. meant the world to him. He believed deeply in using his voice and talents to make the world a better, more just place,” they added.

The Metropolitan Police Department is offering a $25,000 reward for anyone who provides information leading to an arrest and conviction, and are encouraged to contact (202) 727-9099.