Washington, DC, reels from unchecked crime, but hope emerges with bold action. President Trump’s Monday announcement to overhaul public safety in the nation’s capital has struck a chord with grieving mother Tamara Tarpinian-Jachym. Her son Eric, a congressional intern, became a tragic statistic in June 2025.
The New York Post reported that Eric, only 21, was gunned down in a drive-by shooting, leaving his family shattered and the case unsolved. Tamara’s support for Trump’s crackdown reflects a desperate call for change in a city she deems perilous.
Eric Tarpinian-Jachym served as an intern for Congressman Ron Estes, representing Kansas’ Fourth Congressional District.
His death in June 2025 left Tamara with haunting questions about the gunfire that claimed him. The death certificate lists multiple bullet wounds, but details remain scarce.
Surveillance footage from the shooting scene was too grainy to yield answers. Tamara noted cabbies feared the area where Eric died, calling it a nighttime danger zone. This paints a grim picture of a capital city failing its visitors and workers.
“I know nothing,” Tamara said, lamenting the lack of clarity about her son’s wounds. She prays for justice, hoping the perpetrator faces accountability. Her anguish underscores the urgency of addressing DC’s violent underbelly.
“I don’t know where he was hit, but I have an idea,” she added. The uncertainty gnaws at her, yet she trusts the investigation will yield results. Tamara’s restraint shows a mother’s strength amid unbearable loss.
In July 2025, Trump sent a heartfelt letter to Eric’s parents. He and First Lady Melania expressed being “heartbroken” for the family’s loss. Such gestures, while small, signal a commitment to victims often ignored by progressive policies.
Trump’s letter praised Eric’s kindness and dedication to his country. He noted Congressman Estes’ pride in Eric’s service to Kansas’ Fourth District. Yet, platitudes alone won’t heal a city where interns like Eric face mortal risks.
Tamara called DC’s dangers a “well-kept secret” for interns arriving from safer regions. Many, like Eric, are unaware of the risks lurking in the capital’s streets. This ignorance, she argues, demands a reckoning with failed safety measures.
Judge Jeanine Pirro, now US attorney for DC, is spearheading Eric’s case. Tamara respects Pirro’s victim-focused approach, quoting her promise of “due diligence” despite a lengthy process. Pirro’s no-nonsense style offers hope where bureaucracy often stalls.
“She’s for victims,” Tamara said of Pirro, admiring her resolve. This trust in Pirro contrasts with a city leadership Tamara sees as soft on crime. Progressive agendas, she implies, have left DC vulnerable.
Tamara’s goal is clear: ensure no one else suffers her son’s fate. She believes Trump’s plan could protect future visitors and workers. Her resolve channels grief into advocacy for a safer capital.
“When I heard the news today, I said, ‘Eric, you haven’t died in vain,’” Tamara told her son’s ashes. She sees Trump’s crackdown as a turning point for DC’s safety. Her words carry the weight of a mother’s loss and a citizen’s demand for action.
Trump’s plan, Tamara hopes, will spare others the pain her family endures. “Things will change so people are safe,” she said. Her optimism, though tempered by grief, challenges the status quo of urban decay.
No arrests have been made in Eric’s killing, a stark reminder of DC’s challenges. Tamara’s faith in Trump and Pirro reflects a conservative belief in law and order over lenient policies. Her story demands we ask: when will justice prevail?
