Third suspect arrested in deadly shooting of congressional intern
A third suspect accused of killing Eric Tarpinian-Jachym was arrested on Wednesday in Washington, D.C.
Naqwan Antonio Lucas was apprehended by Metropolitan Police, who believe he was involved in Tarpinian-Jachym’s death and the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Zoey Kelley.
Tarpinian-Jachym was 21 years old when he died in July. He was a student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst living in the nation's capital to intern for Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kan.).
“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,” U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro told reporters during a Thursday press conference.
“They never believed they would be punished, so they kept moving,” she added.
Pirro said Lucas and the two other teens involved in the shooting will face first-degree murder charges as adults.
Tarpinian-Jachym succumbed to his gunshot wounds at a local hospital the day after his injuries. Kelley’s body was discovered by police stuffed in the closet of a roommate staying with Lucas’s father, according to WUSA 9.
Pirro blamed the D.C. Council for the heinous crime.
"D.C. Council is more interested in protecting young criminals under the guise of protecting the innocence of youth," Pirro told reporters during Thursday’s press conference.
"It's time for them to start protecting the citizens of the District."