Connecticut Teacher Didn't Know He Shot Masked Son Until Police Identified Body

[Sage Ninja]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/connecticut...ry?id=17349516

A teacher attempting to assist his sister in their quiet Connecticut suburb when she believed she was being robbed shot a masked stranger during a late-night confrontation. But Jeffrey Giuliano, 44, didn't realize that he had gunned down and killed his teenage son until the boy was identified by authorities.

Police responding to a possible burglary attempt pulled up to a house in New Fairfield at 1 a.m. Thursday to find the local 5th grade teacher, dressed in a T-shirt and shorts, sitting on the lawn outside his sister's home (the two lived next door). Dead in the driveway was his 15-year-old son, Tyler.

Lt. J. Paul Vance said that Tyler was found with obvious gunshot wounds and was holding a weapon. Tyler was holding a knife, according to the Associated Press, but a spokeswoman for the Connecticut State Police told ABCNews.com that authorities are currently calling it a "shiny object," but not specifying if it was a knife.

"We received a call reporting possible burglary and shots fired," Vance told ABC News. "He was shot multiple times, but we still don't know the number of times or the location."

Emergency Medical Service responders said that Tyler, who the Fairfield News Times reported was Giuliano's adopted son, was dead when they arrived on the scene.

ABC NEWSA Fairfield Connecticut father, Jeffrey... View Full Size ABC NEWSA Fairfield Connecticut father, Jeffrey Guiliano accidentally shot and killed his son, Tyler Guiliano, by mistaking him for a burglar, Sept. 27, 2012.
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Jeffrey Giuliano armed himself with a handgun and headed next door when he received a call from his sister, Alexis Scocozza, who suspected her home was being broken into.

Once he left his house, Giuliano immediately saw a masked person dressed all in black clothing and wearing a ski-mask and holding a "shiny object," according to the police report.

Giuliano, who teaches at the Meeting House Hill School in New Fairfield, told police that the masked stranger came at him with the object still in his hand and in a threatening manner. Giuliano said he believed that the stranger was armed, and during the confrontation that quickly followed discharged his handgun.

Police have not stated whether the object Tyler was holding at the time of the shooting was a weapon.

It was unclear how many times the teen was shot and where, Vance told ABC News. He said that the medical exam will be doing autopsy today, which be able to help out with the investigation.

"We're working out the timeline with the evidence and interviewing the witnesses and will figure out the timeline," Vance said. "We're going to examine everything and try to understand exactly how and why this occurred."

Police said that they have now determined whether the gun was registered to Jeffrey Giuliano but said they will not yet be releasing the details. Detectives were still processing the scene early Friday for physical and forensic evidence.

No charges have been filed against Giuliano. Calls made to his home by ABC News were not immediately returned.

Superintendent of New Fairfield schools Alicia Roy sent an email out to parents Thursday afternoon regarding the shooting.

"Our district has experienced a tragedy that has affected us deeply," she wrote, according to the News-Times. Roy said that the shooting was not discussed with students because "the facts were not clear."

Classmates of Tyler's took to Twitter to express their shock and grief at losing someone they've known for most of their lives.

"Never going to forget that laugh he had," Nick Cesarski wrote. "Weird to think a kid I knew since kindergarten is gone. He always was a good kid. R.I.P Tyler."

wow, I can't image how horriable this poor man must feel at having accidently shot his son like that. If I had accidently shot my own child even if I thought they were a thief, I think I might kill myself.

However this leaves quite a few unanswered questions, like what was the boy trying to do at his aunts house. Was he actually there to harm her? Was it some stupid misguided prank on his part? Was he involved in drugs and trying to steal valuables for that reason? Why didin't the boy identify himself when his dad showed up totting a gun? Did the father even identify himself or did he just start shooting? Very, very tragic. Since the boy is gone no one can ask him these things.

[BubblyShell22]

Wow. Very tragic indeed. If it was a prank on the boy's part, I'd say it was a pretty stupid thing for him to do. I feel bad for the father as he didn't know what was going on. He just reacted defensively as anyone would do if they saw an armed person in their home.

[Cure]

Originally Posted by BubblyShell22

He just reacted defensively as anyone would do if they saw an armed person in their home.

Uh, I dunno. If I saw someone breaking into my house, I wouldn't kill the f*cking dude.

Warning shots, people. They work.

[BubblyShell22]

Well, I don't think his intent was to kill the guy, but I agree that he should've waited. But then again, in that type of situation, who knows what anyone would really do? I'd probably shoot, too, if I felt I was threatened. If the guy was just standing there, that's different, but if he was brandishing the knife and coming toward his father, then that's a whole other scenario.

[NameGoesHere1066]

Originally Posted by Cure

Uh, I dunno. If I saw someone breaking into my house, I wouldn't kill the f*cking dude.

Warning shots, people. They work.

I got the impression he already had the boy's attenetion when the the kid rushed his father, and thats when he started shooting. If someone was rushing me with a knife I might start shooting as well.

I wonder why the kid rushed his father? Didn't he reconsise him, or see the gun in his hand? I suspect there was more going on than just that. It doesn't make sense the kid would attack his dad like that.

[Leo656]

Sounds to me like the kid was breaking in to steal stuff for drug money. Happens all the time around here, family members are the most convenient people for junkies to steal from, because usually they go into denial ("Not MY son/grandson/nephew!" or simply don't involve authorities.

If it was something else, the kid should've spoken up or taken his mask off right away. Sounds too shady for me. Messed up? Yeah, but that's what happens when you act shady. After what happened with Trayvon Martin you'd think kids would smarten up and realize how quick sh*t can get real.

[Mona_Lisa]

Originally Posted by Leo656

Sounds to me like the kid was breaking in to steal stuff for drug money. Happens all the time around here, family members are the most convenient people for junkies to steal from, because usually they go into denial ("Not MY son/grandson/nephew!" or simply don't involve authorities.
.

I agree with this, Still, this story is very sad

[Leo656]

It's sad, if it was a prank gone wrong or an innocent case of mistaken identity. If the kid was attempting a break-in it's called "consequences".

I guess we'll know more as the days and weeks go on. Somebody's gotta know something we haven't heard yet. So far this is just bizarre because other than the fact that the dad shot his son we don't know anything yet.

By the way I'm not a very compassionate person, some people don't pick up on that right away.

[Slade]

Originally Posted by Leo656

By the way I'm not a very compassionate person, some people don't pick up on that right away.

I'm with you on that. I get the feeling this "accident" isn't the real story behind this.