A 16-year-old autistic boy is in police custody after authorities found four of his family members shot dead at their home.
Police arrived at the family home in the seaside town of Long Branch, New Jersey, at about 20 minutes before midnight on New Year’s Eve.
Gramiccioni described the shooting as “terribly tragic” during a press conference in Long Branch.
“The grandfather of the suspect as well as the brother of the suspect thankfully left the home,” he told reporters in a video posted to the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s official Facebook page.
The brother of the gunman, Steven Jr. Kologi, paid tribute to his family on social media.
Their grandfather Adrian Kologi also escaped injury.
Authorities identified the slain family members as Steven Kologi, 44, Linda Kologi, 42, his 18-year-old sister, Brittany and his grandfather’s partner, 70-year-old Mary Schultz.
The semi-automatic rifle was legally owned and registered to a resident of the house, Gramiccioni told reporters.
“The Kologis were very caring, loving people and always looking to do fun things with their kids,” he said.
“He was a good kid. He was, a little you know, slow with learning disabilities but he knows right from wrong.”
“They were a close-knit family,” she said. “No drugs, no alcohol.”
She said the teenager was schooled at home and described him as “outgoing and very friendly.”