In what could certainly be described as truly morbid New Year's news, a 16-year-old Long Branch, New Jersey teen is in custody after authorities say he used a semi-automatic rifle to shoot and kill his family roughly 15 minutes prior to midnight.
The teen, who remains unidentified due to his age, will be charged as an adult, and will face four counts of murder in addition to a weapons charge after allegedly killing his dad, mom, 18-year-old sister, and a 70-year-old family friend. Additionally, two other family members (the boy's grandfather and brother) were at the house on Sunday evening. They were unharmed.
According to a local prosecutor, the boy was arrested without incident, and law enforcement officials wouldn't elaborate on any potential motive he may have had. According to neighbors, the teen has special needs and was cared for by his mother in lieu of going to a regular public school. Despite that detail, neighbors say he was "fully functional and comprehended what we were saying."
During a press conference, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni remarked that the killings were "a terribly tragic incident."
According to a spokesperson for the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office, the suspect is being held at the nearby Middlesex Youth Detention Facility and will have his first court appearance at 10 a.m. on Tuesday.
