Teen held in shooting deaths of family, friend

LONG BRANCH, New Jersey — A 16-year-old New Jersey boy armed with a semi-automatic rifle shot and killed his parents, sister and a family friend inside the home where they lived, authorities said Monday.

Monmouth County Prosecutor Chris Gramiccioni said the teen will be charged with four counts of murder and a weapons offence stemming from the shooting that occurred Sunday night, less than 20 minutes before midnight on New Year’s Eve in the shore town of Long Branch.

A possible motive for the shooting has not been disclosed. The rifle used in the shooting was legally registered to a resident of the house, Gramiccioni said. The teen’s name has not been disclosed. The victims were identified as the boy’s parents, Steven Kologi, 44, and Linda Kologi, 42; his 18-year-old sister, Brittany, and 70-year-old Mary Schultz, who lived with the family.

Police responded to a 911 call of shots fired at the home just after 11:30 p.m. Sunday, Gramiccioni said.

He described the shooting as an isolated domestic incident and said the teen was taken into custody without issue.

The teen’s grandfather and brother were not targeted and left the home unharmed.

“It’s a terribly tragic incident,” Gramiccioni said.

The teen is expected to make an initial court appearance today, and prosecutors were considering whether they would seek to move the case to adult court.