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Mother of UMass student killed in D.C. reacts after Trump mentions him while announcing police takeover

“I said Eric, you didn’t die in vain. They’re going to make D.C. safe, Eric. You didn’t die in vain.”

Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, a UMass student from Granby, (left) and two friends from a Washington D.C. fellowship in April. Clark Burg

By Molly Farrar

August 12, 2025

2 minutes to read

The mother of a Massachusetts college student who was killed in a D.C. shooting in June praised President Donald Trump’s new plan to take over the local police and deploy the military to reduce crime.

Tamara Tarpinian-Jachym, mother of Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, heard Trump mention her son, a rising senior at the University of Massachusetts Amherst who was a congressional intern.

Eric, who was killed about a mile away from the White House, was among the victims of violent crime in Washington D.C. that Trump cited, including others connected to the federal government.

The Granby mother told WHDH that Eric’s ashes are near her TV, where she watched Trump declare a formal public safety emergency in the nation’s capitol.

“I said Eric, you didn’t die in vain,” Tamara Tarpinian-Jachym told the news station through tears. “They’re going to make D.C. safe, Eric. You didn’t die in vain.”

Trump referred to Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, not by name, when announcing his plan Monday to deploy the National Guard in the nation’s capitol and place the D.C. police under federal control.

“In June, a 21-year-old congressional intern was tragically killed after being hit by a stray bullet in a drive-by shooting,” Trump said during his speech Monday, referring to Eric. “It’s becoming a situation of complete and total lawlessness, and we’re getting rid of the slums, too.”

Former DOGE staffer, Northeastern student also attacked

Trump also condemned the assault against former Department of Government Efficiency staffer Edward Coristine, the 19-year-old who attended Northeastern University. Coristine, also known by the online moniker “Big Balls,” is still a government employee, and was assaulted by about 10 juveniles during an alleged carjacking on Sunday, according to a police report obtained by POLITICO.

After the assault, Trump said in a Truth Social post that if D.C. “doesn’t get its act together, and quickly, we will have no choice but to take Federal control of the City.”

Eric Tarpinian-Jachym worked for Republican Rep. Ron Estes, of Kansas, who praised Trump’s move to take over the police.

“Rampant crime has been prevalent for too long, and we saw the devastating effects impact our own team less than two months ago with the tragic murder of our intern, Eric,” Estes wrote on X. “The status quo from the D.C. council is not working.”

However, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, noted that violent crime has decreased, with statistics showing that homicides, robberies, and burglaries are down this year compared to last. Overall, crime is down 26 percent, the Associated Press reported.

Tamara Tarpinian-Jachym told WHDH that no arrests have been made in connection with Eric’s death.

“Nobody should be riddled with bullets while walking to get something to eat at 10:26 p.m.,” she said, per 7 News. “No parent or family should have to live through this hell, and it is hell.”