Washington police on Monday released mugshots of two 17-year-olds charged in the June fatal shooting of a congressional intern as investigators continue to search for a third suspect who is the subject of a homicide warrant.
Kelvin Thomas Jr. and Jailen Lucas were arrested Friday and charged as adults with premeditated first-degree murder while armed in the June 30 shooting that killed 21-year-old Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, a University of Massachusetts Amherst student who was working as an intern for Rep. Ron Estes, R-Kan. Authorities said the attack occurred roughly a mile from the White House and also left a woman and a 16-year-old boy wounded.
The Metropolitan Police Department said a third suspect, identified as 18-year-old Naqwan Antonio Lucas of Granby, Massachusetts, is wanted on a D.C. Superior Court warrant for premeditated first-degree murder while armed. Officials have urged the public not to approach him and to contact police with any information. The department and federal partners have offered a combined $50,000 reward for information leading to his arrest: the standard $25,000 reward from MPD, $15,000 from the FBI’s Washington Field Office and $10,000 from the U.S. Marshals Service.
Investigators released the two mugshots to the public after the arrests, and local media obtained images of the booked suspects. Authorities have not confirmed whether Naqwan Lucas and Jailen Lucas are related or whether the wanted suspect has a prior criminal record.
The shooting prompted bipartisan attention in Congress. In July, the House observed a moment of silence for Tarpinian-Jachym. Rep. Estes described the intern as a “dedicated and thoughtful and kind person who loved our country.” Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, who has been commenting on the case as authorities pursue the suspects, said those accused “will face severe justice” if convicted and that the developments may provide some measure of solace to the victim’s family.
Police said the investigation is ongoing and asked anyone with information about Naqwan Lucas’s whereabouts to call 202-727-9099 or to text tips to 50411. The department reiterated that members of the public should not try to approach or detain the wanted suspect. Prosecutors have charged the arrested 17-year-olds as adults; those charges carry the possibility of adult penalties if they are convicted.
The fatal shooting of a congressional staffer near the heart of the capital intensified scrutiny of public safety in the city and the safety of those working in and around the federal complex. Authorities said the case remains under active investigation and that additional details would be released by prosecutors and law enforcement as they become available.