Boy, 16, charged with murdering his parents, sister and family friend with a semi-automatic rifle minutes before New Year
Shortly before midnight neighbours heard gunfire inside the house in New Jersey
A BOY of 16 used a semi-automatic rifle to gun down his parents, sister and family friend just before midnight on New Year's Eve, US prosecutors said.
Scott Kologi was identified as the shooter who killed his dad Steven, 44, mum Linda, 42, and sister Brittany, 18, at the family home in New Jersey.
Family friend Mary Schultz, 70, who lived with them, also died in the massacre minutes before the end of 2017.
Scott's grandfather Adrian and brother Steven Jnr were in the house but escaped unharmed.
Steven Jnr later paid tribute to his parents in an emotional Instagram post.
He wrote: “They made sure Christmas came every year although they struggled financially. I cannot even describe the type of people they were so just believe me when I say how great they were.
“As for my sister she was so beautiful and smart.
“I just wish I could tell all of them how much they meant to me and how much I truly loved each and every one of them because I didn’t do that enough.”
Cops found a bloodbath following a 911 call made at 11.43pm when gunfire was heard inside the house in the coastal town of Long Branch.
Some neighbours thought the sound was early fireworks to celebrate the New Year.
Local prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni said: “It’s a terribly tragic incident.”
Authorities have not yet determined a motive for the shooting spree, he said.
Police had not been called out previously for domestic violence or similar concerns, and the rifle was legally registered to a person living at the address.
One neighbour described the suspected murderer as "the nicest kid in the world".
Joe Rios, 52, : “He came to watch the softball games with Linda and he was always smiling.
“This is totally out of the blue and not something I ever thought this young boy would do
“I don’t know what happened. He was not a violent kid. He was always smiling.”
Joe added Steve, a truck driver, was “a great person”, adding: “He did everything for his family and his four kids.”
One of Steve's children was from a previous marriage and did not live there, Joe said.
Linda's cousin Walter Montelione told "The Kologis were very caring, loving people and always looking to do fun things with their kids."
He said of Scott: "He was a good kid. He was a little, you know, slow with learning disabilities, but he knows right from wrong."
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The teenager is said to have had autism and was cared for by his mother. He did not attend mainstream schools like his siblings, according to reports.
Brittany was a first year health sciences student at Stockton University in New Jersey.
Scott has reportedly been charged with four counts of murder and a weapons offence.
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