Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, a 21-year-old congressional intern, was shot and killed in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, July 1, according to police.
The Metropolitan Police Department and congressional representatives identified Tarpinian-Jachym as the victim.
Tarpinian-Jachym was a senior at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, majoring in finance and minoring in political science, according to ABC News. The Granby, Massachusetts native interned for Kansas Congressman Ron Estes.
PEOPLE has contacted the MPD for further comment.
Tarpinian-Jachym was fatally shot near the Walter E. Washington Convention Centre in downtown D.C. around 10:28 p.m. on Tuesday, according to police. According to The Washington Post, he was caught in a hail of bullets that were allegedly intended for another person. He was transported to a nearby hospital, where he died from his injuries.
According to ABC News, two additional victims were struck: an adult female and a 16-year-old male. When police arrived, both individuals were conscious, but Tarpinian-Jachym was unconscious.
“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 released on Wednesday, July 2. “We are grateful to Eric for his service to Kansas’ 4th District and the country.”
“I was heartbroken to hear of the tragic shooting that took the life of Granby-native Eric Tarpinian-Jachym,” Rep. Richard Neal of Massachusetts said in a statement to WWLP. “Eric, a rising senior at UMass Amherst, was in D.C. interning on Capitol Hill to pursue his passion for public service. As a lecturer at UMass, I’ve seen firsthand the calibre of students who walk through those doors. Eric exemplified what it means to be a member of a community dedicated to learning, growth, and civic engagement.
“Any parent will tell you there is no greater pain than the pain of losing as a child,” Neal went on: “As a father, my thoughts and prayers are with Eric’s family and loved ones during this difficult time.”
