New Jersey Teen Accused of Killing His Parents, Sister, and Family Friend on New Year’s Eve

ByElle Kammerer-Gimm

Just before midnight on New Year’s Eve, a 16-year-old New Jersey boy shot and killed three members of his family and a family friend, reports CBS News. The shooter’s name has not been disclosed. The victims of this tragedy include the boy’s parents, Steven and Linda Kologi, his 18-year-old sister Brittany Kologi, and 70-year-old Mary Shultz, a family friend who lived at the home. The shooter killed the four adults in their home. The weapon was a rifle that was legally owned by someone in the Kologi family.

While the shooter is only 16, prosecutors are considering moving the case to adult court. The shooter has no previous criminal history. According to Monmouth County Prosecutor Chris Gramiccioni, he will be charged with four counts of murder and a weapons offense. He is expected to make his first appearance in court later this week. However, it is uncertain if he had an attorney.

”[The shooter was] always smiling, not a violent kid or anything like that,” a family friend, Joe Rios, said about the incident, according to CBS News.

Rios’ sentiment has been echoed by many friends of the Kologi family. This act of violence took everyone by surprise. While the shooter did require special assistance and did not attend the same public schools as his siblings, he appears to have been fully functional. ”He was a good kid,” said relative Walter Montelione. ”He was, a little you know, slow with learning disabilities but he knows right from wrong.”

Relatives remembered the Kologi family following the tragedy. Linda was described as a doting mother and Steven as a hardworking father. While Linda stayed home to assist with the care of her son, the shooter, Steven worked two jobs to provide for his family. Brittany was a freshman at Stockton University.

”I could never have believed this could have happened,” remarked Carmen Gaudious. ”They were all good people.”

Police arrived on the scene just after 11:30 pm on Sunday night. The shooter was taken into custody without issue, and the shooting was an isolated incident. What’s more, the shooter’s brother and grandfather were also in the home but were unharmed. It seems that they were not targets for the shooter.

(Image: Twitter/@HeavySan)

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