The mother of Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, a Congressional intern fatally shot in 2025, says President Donald Trump’s deployment of the National Guard and federal control over the DC Metropolitan Police Department is effectively reducing crime in Washington, D.C.

According to new data from the Major Cities Chiefs Association, homicides in Washington, D.C. fell by 43.9% in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025. There were 46 homicides in early 2026, down from 82 in 2025.

This decline followed Trump’s early August 2025 decision to deploy the National Guard and federal officers to the city to "rescue our nation's capital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam and squalor and worse."

Tamara Jachym, Eric’s mother, recalled, "I remember when my son Eric was killed, there was a homicide every other day till the National Guard came in." She added, "Something's working and I think extra eyes and ears on the ground is helping this happen."

Investigators reported that Eric Tarpinian-Jachym was among a group of people targeted when several individuals exited a vehicle and began firing shots.

Jachym also noted that many residents from diverse backgrounds have expressed feeling safer since the crackdown began.

National Guardsmen continue to patrol the District of Columbia in 2026 as part of the ongoing effort to maintain public safety.

Sources