A 16-year-old is accused of shooting his parents, sister and a family friend at home on New Year’s Eve.<\/p>\n
The boy has not been officially identified, but neighbours identified him as Scott Kologi, who reportedly has autism and was home-schooled.<\/p>\n
Police received a call about the shooting from inside the home in the beachfront city of Long Branch on Sunday night at 23:43 local time.<\/p>\n
Officials say the rifle used in the attack was legally owned by a resident.<\/p>\n
Authorities have not divulged a motive for the suspect, who they say will be prosecuted as an adult and was taken into custody without incident.<\/p>\n
He is expected to appear in court on Tuesday to face four counts of murder and one weapons charge.<\/p>\n
Steven Kologi, 44, Linda Kologi, 42, Brittany Kologi, 18, and Mary Schultz, 70, were found dead in the home about 30 miles (48km) from New York City, said officials.<\/p>\n
The boy’s grandfather and older brother were not targeted and escaped unharmed.<\/p>\n
“The grandfather of the suspect as well as the brother of the suspect thankfully left the home,” Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni told a press conference on Monday.<\/p>\n
He said the family had no history of domestic violence known to police.<\/p>\n
“It’s a terribly tragic incident,” the prosecutor added.<\/p>\n
Neighbours told local media that Scott Kologi has special needs, and did not attend the local high school unlike his older brother and sister.<\/p>\n
Veronica Mass, a family friend, told NJ.com the Kologis “were a close-knit family”.<\/p>\n
Mrs Mass said Scott had been home-schooled by his mother since he was about nine years old, after he struggled academically and was bullied by other students at school.<\/p>\n
“He improved dramatically after being home-schooled,”\u00a0Mrs Mass told NJ.com.<\/a><\/p>\n “He learned to read, did his math. He got up to where he was supposed to be.”<\/p>\n Several neighbours say they initially assumed the gunshots were New Year’s fireworks, and did not realise what had happened until police investigators arrived.<\/p>\n Joe Rios, another friend, told the New York Post the rifle belonged to the boy’s father, who he said was a US veteran.<\/p>\n Brittany had just completed her first semester of university, said Stockton University in a statement.<\/p>\n Source: bbc.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"