The suspect accused of killing a congressional intern and then a 17-year-old girl has been apprehended, officials say.
Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, 21, died after being shot on June 30, according to police in Washington, DC. Several days later, on July 4, police reported that 17-year-old Zoey Kelley had been fatally shot.
Naqwan Lucas, 18, one of the suspects in both shootings, has been apprehended, according to a spokesman for the District of Columbia’s courts. Lucas appeared in court on Thursday afternoon to be arraigned.
After being named as one of three suspects in Tarpinian-Jachym’s murder, the Metropolitan Police Department stated Friday that Lucas had also been charged with Kelley’s murder. He was indicted for premeditated first-degree murder while armed.
According to police, the first shooting did not target Tarpinian-Jachym and injured a 16-year-old male and an adult female. The shooting took place in the 1200 block of 7th Street, Northwest, near the Mt. Vernon Square/7thSt-Convention Center Metro station. According to officials, multiple individuals exited a car and opened fire, killing Tarpinian-Jachym.
US Attorney Jeanine Pirro revealed during a press conference on Thursday that the shooting that killed Tarpinian-Jachym involved 79 rounds.
Pirro stated that Kelley was Lucas’s girlfriend.
Pirro said that both homicides were “predictable,” adding that these suspects should have been punished harder for previous crimes. She said that DC City Council members are “complicit” in the juvenile crimes that take place within the district.
“Eric died alone. No mother, no father, no sister. Why? Because three teenagers, two 17, one 18, all accustomed to getting away with criminal behavior because they lived in a district that didn’t take it seriously. They never believed they would be punished. So they kept moving,” Pirro said.
Tarpinian-Jachym interned for Republican Rep. Ron Estes of Kansas.
A GoFundMe set up by Kelley’s loved ones described her as a “bright light in this world — full of life, laughter, and love. Her energy was magnetic, and her smile could brighten the darkest days.”
“Zoey had so much ahead of her — dreams she wanted to pursue, goals she was working toward, and memories still to be made,” the GoFundMe read. “On that devastating day, Zoey was simply walking outside when she became the victim of a violent and tragic act. What was supposed to be an ordinary moment turned into a life-altering one for her family and community. Her passing has left a painful void that words cannot begin to describe.”
Jailen Lucas and Kelvin Thomas Jr. were previously arrested for the murder of Tarpinian-Jachym.
Lucas and Thomas have violent backgrounds in family court, according to Pirro, who points out that they are juveniles.
“I think Eric felt safe. It was early at night. He was in a decent area and this happened. And it’s a shame. And you know, Eric was the 85th victim and now we have an 86,” she added, referring to the number of homicides in Washington, D.C., at the time.
In a earlier interview with Fox News Digital, Tarpinian-Jachym’s mother, Tamara Jachym, stated that authorities should jail those guilty because “they will do it again.”
“I think Eric felt safe. It was early at night. He was in a decent area and this happened. And it’s a shame. And you know, Eric was the 85th victim and now we have an 86,” she added, referring to the number of homicides in Washington, D.C., at the time.
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