By Tim Carpenter, Kansas Reflector
TOPEKA — U.S. Rep. Ron Estes of Kansas honored the memory of one of his congressional interns who was shot to death in Washington, D.C.
Estes offered condolences to the family of Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, 21, of Granby, Massachusetts. The Metropolitan Police Department reported Tarpinian-Jachym was the victim of a shooting Monday night in northwest D.C.
Law enforcement officials said multiple people stepped from a vehicle and opened fire on a group of individuals, striking Tarpinian-Jachym, an adult woman and a teenager. All three were taken to a hospital, where Tarpinian-Jachym died Tuesday.
“I will remember his kind heart and how he always greeted anyone who entered our office with a cheerful smile,” Estes said in a joint statement with his wife, state Rep. Susan Estes. “We are grateful to Eric for his service to Kansas’ 4th District and the country.”
The Kansas congressman asked for prayers on behalf of Tarpinian-Jachym’s family and asked that the family’s privacy be respected.
The Washington Post reported Tarpinian-Jachym was apparently an innocent bystander caught in a spray of bullets intended for others.
He was a senior at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he was studying finance and political science.
U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Massachusetts, said he was heartbroken by the tragedy.
“Any parent will tell you there is no greater pain than the pain of losing as a child. As a father, my thoughts and prayers are with Eric’s family and loved ones during this difficult time,” Neal said.
