A 16-year-old boy is accused of opening fire on his parents, sister and a family friend on New Year’s Eve, killing them. Ida Siegal reports.
What to Know
- A 16-year-old opened fire on his parents, sister and a family friend on New Year's Eve, killing them, prosecutors said
- Shots rang out at the home in Long Branch, New Jersey, just before midnight
- The 16-year-old is in custody and charged with four counts of first-degree murder
A 16-year-old boy opened fire with a semi-automatic rifle on his parents, sister and a family friend just before midnight on New Year's Eve, killing all of them, prosecutors said Monday.
The teenager was in custody at Middlesex County Juvenile Detention Center and charged with four counts of first-degree murder, according to officials. Although he was being charged as an adult, officials didn't release his name because he is a minor.
The victims have been identified by officials as his parents, Steven and Linda Kologi, 44 and 42 respectively, his sister, 18-year-old Brittany Kologi, and a 70-year-old family friend, Mary Schultz, who lived in the home.
The teen's grandfather and brother were not targeted and left the home unharmed.
The shots rang out just before midnight Sunday at the family's home on Wall Street in Long Branch, New Jersey.
The Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office tweeted just after 2 a.m. Monday that there was no threat to the public as they believe it was a domestic incident.
Officials say police recovered a semi-automatic rifle at the home, which was legally owned and registered to the address where the shooting happened.
A motive to the shooting is not known.
Family friend Ronnie Pacheco described Steven Kologi as a devoted father.
Local
"He loved his kids to death, Pacheco said. "He loved all his kids to death. He did everything that he could to help his family. He treated all his kids the same."
