A congressional intern for Kansas GOP Rep. Ron Estes was killed in a shooting in Washington, D.C., near a downtown transit station.
The intern has been identified as Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, 21, of Granby, Mass., WTOP News reported. He was fatally shot on Monday and died on Tuesday, after all lifesaving measures had been exhausted.
Tarpinian-Jachym is not believed to have been the intended target of the shooting, according to police. Multiple suspects exited from a car and began firing at “a group,” police said. Tarpinian-Jachym was found unconscious at the scene by police.
Officers also found a 16-year-old boy and a woman at the scene who were shot. They were both taken to the hospital.
The vehicle used in the shooting was later found by investigators in nearby Prince George’s County, Md., WUSA reported. Police had not identified any suspects but say they have an idea of who they are and they are tracking them down.
Estes’ office said that Tarpinian-Jachym started his internship last month, and he was a rising senior at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, majoring 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 on Wednesday. “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.”
