Man shoots masked teen, discovers it's his son

  Eyewitnesss NewsNEW FAIRFIELD -- A man fatally shot a masked teenager in self-defense outside his neighbor's house during what appeared to be an attempted late-night burglary, then discovered the teen was his son, state police said.

Spokesman Lt. J. Paul Vance said Friday that police are trying to determine if the gun used by Jeffrey Giuliano, the father, was registered. It will be at least a week before the probe is done, he said.

Police said 15-year-old Tyler Giuliano was shot at about 1 a.m. Thursday in New Fairfield, a town along the New York line just north of Danbury.

Jeffrey Giuliano's sister, who was alone in the home, believed someone was breaking in and called Giuliano, who lives next door, state police said. Giuliano grabbed a gun and went outside to investigate, troopers said.

He confronted someone wearing a black ski mask and black clothing and then fired his gun when the person went at him with a shiny weapon in his hand, police said. They would not provide details about what kind of weapon it was.

When police officers arrived almost immediately after they were called, the teen was lying in the driveway of his aunt's home with gunshot wounds and the father was sitting on the grass. The teen was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

A state trooper pulled back the ski mask to reveal that the victim was Tyler Giuliano, though it was unclear if Jeffrey Giuliano already knew that. It was also unclear if he was actually trying to burglarize the house or if it was some type of prank gone wrong.

"All in all it's a tragedy," Vance said.

Jeffrey Giuliano, a fifth-grade teacher in town, hasn't returned a message seeking comment on what happened.

Tyler Giuliano was a student at New Fairfield High School, a short walk from the neighborhood where he was killed.

Superintendent of Schools Alicia Roy sent parents an email about what happened, The News-Times of Danbury reported.

"Our district has experienced a tragedy that has affected us deeply," she wrote, adding that students weren't told of the killing because all the facts weren't clear.

No charges have been filed. An autopsy is planned.

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