# Man Fatally Shoots Masked Teen Then Discovers It's His Son



## BostonBob (Apr 24, 2010)

*from ctvnews.ca:*










A fifth-grade teacher fatally shot a masked teenager in self-defence outside his neighbour's house during what he thought was an attempted burglary and then discovered it was his son, state police said.

The killing of 15-year-old Tyler Giuliano shortly after midnight Thursday left his quiet Connecticut town of New Fairfield reeling in confusion and grief. The teen's father, Jeffrey Giuliano, is a popular fifth-grade teacher in the community, where there is very little violent crime.

The neighbour, who is the teen's aunt, was alone in her house and believed someone was breaking in. She called the teen's father, who lives next door. He grabbed a gun, went outside, confronted someone wearing a black ski mask and black clothing and fired when the person went at him with a shiny weapon in his hand, police said.

When police arrived, the teen was lying in the driveway of the woman's home with gunshot wounds and a knife in his hand. His father, in T-shirt and shorts, was sitting on the grass. The teen was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

An officer pulled back the ski mask. It was unclear if Jeffrey Giuliano already knew it was his son. It was also unclear if the teen was trying to burglarize the house or if it was some type of prank gone wrong.

"All in all it's a tragedy," state police spokesman Lt. J. Paul Vance said.

Jeffrey Giuliano hadn't returned a message seeking comment on what happened. No one responded to knocks on the front door at his home or his sister's.

No charges have been filed.

John Hodge, the top elected official of the town of nearly 14,000 people some 50 miles (80 kilometres) from New York City, doesn't recall another killing in his eight years on the job. "You certainly don't expect it to happen in your own small hometown where there's very little crime."

The Giuliano home has a three-car garage, with a long, circular driveway near the end of a street. A pumpkin was set out in front of the home for Halloween.

On Friday, a blue crime scene tent covered evidence in the driveway where Tyler was pronounced dead; two white rocking chairs stood empty on his aunt's front porch next to a stack of firewood.

Spokesman Lt. J. Paul Vance said Friday that police were investigating whether the gun used was registered. That will take at least a week. Police were also looking for leads into whether Tyler, described as an easygoing teen who loved flying and was in the Civil Air Patrol, was going to burglarize the home or meant to carry out a prank. There was no immediate word on whether he had been in trouble before.

The high school stayed open late Thursday to provide grief counselling for students and parents.

"The community is deeply saddened, and our hearts go out to all the family members," said Alicia Roy, the superintendent of schools in New Fairfield.

She said Giuliano is a longtime resident who offers summer music and zoology camps for his students at Meeting House Hill School and plays in a band that raises a lot of money for charity.

"He wanted to teach in the community he grew up," she said. "He connects with the students. He's a caring person. Very interactive class."

Brian Wyckoff, 17, once had him as a teacher, and was a classmate of Tyler.

He said "Mr. G," as known around school, loves animals, and keeps snakes in his classroom.

"He was always walking around with a smile on his face. He always says "Hi" to everyone," Wycoff said.

Tyler was a student at New Fairfield High School, a short walk from the neighbourhood where he was killed. Roy said he enjoyed spending time with his family. During a storm last year, he volunteered at a shelter set up the local high school, helping to serve meals and set up cots.

Roy said Tyler especially enjoyed flying gliders and single-engine planes out of Danbury airport.

"He would fly as many hours as possible," she said.

"He was a nice kid," said Wyckoff, who said Tyler wasn't in his circle of friends and that the slain teen was quiet and seemed a little shy.

The father played guitar in a local rock band, Split Decision. The band has a show scheduled Sunday to benefit a local charity.

Reached by telephone, keyboardist Lisa Tramazzo, who said she is also a teacher, and bass player Greg Gilroy both declined to talk about Giuliano.

"Nobody is going to answer your questions," Tramazzo said Friday.

An autopsy was planned. There was no word on funeral services.


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## TomC (Apr 21, 2010)

Another reason not to have a gun.


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## AcidFear (Aug 19, 2012)

TomC said:


> Another reason not to have a gun.


I dont mean to offend you but I would have to disagree guns don't kill people kill people. I own a few guns but that doesnt mean when I find someone breaking into my house or the neighbour's(witch has happened many times) I go out and shoot him people just need to be smart and call the police


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## Claudia (Apr 21, 2010)

Really sad story


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

That is a sad story, but I agree, guns don't kill people, people kill people.

It's unfortunate that the prank went wrong and he died... (I don't own any guns myself, but fully support the right to own one if properly trained).


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## Lamplighter (Aug 3, 2012)

I have a firearms licence. I think you can only say that the story might have had a different ending if guns hadn't been invented. Guns are a killing tool just as much as hammers and saws build things. I don't know all the circumstances involving the case. Was the boy armed? Was the boy an immediate threat? If not then charges of second degree murder should be laid.

I have the occasional individual climb the fence to get into my yard. I was subjected to attempted home invasions on two occasions. Should I have wasted these individuals by empting a gun into them?


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## Diztrbd1 (Apr 21, 2010)

it says he had a knife and was shot when he went at his dad after being confronted outside the home............sad story indeed & while I agree with the comments.....I am confused why the kid had a real knife ,if it was some kind of prank and why he didn't fess up and take the mask off when his dad confronted him, especially with a gun in his hand & instead went at him?? Something just doesn't seem right about that whole situation imho.


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## Lamplighter (Aug 3, 2012)

Diztrbd1 said:


> it says he had a knife and was shot when he went at his dad after being confronted outside the home............sad story indeed & while I agree with the comments.....I am confused why the kid had a real knife ,if it was some kind of prank and why he didn't fess up and take the mask off when his dad confronted him, especially with a gun in his hand & instead went at him?? Something just doesn't seem right about that whole situation imho.


Well young people use various designer drugs and go nuts. I agree that there seems to be something missing to the story. But you know drugs provide answers in cases of bizarre behavior.
I was not there but the fact that someone has a knife doesn't mean much. Unless the young man is within striking distance or preparing to throw the weapon.

I've fired thousands of rounds and a bullet travels almost instantly to its destination. What I'm saying is wait until the last second to engage the threat.

There have been too many cases where cops have killed individuals in supposed self defense. A couple of cases come to mind where the cops could have left to diffuse a situation. Too many law official guys have an over abundance of testosterone.

It seems to me that there has been an increase in senseless violent drug induced acts, lately. One drug that comes to mind is "Bath Salts."


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## macframalama (Apr 17, 2012)

who said anything about drugs, there was no mention of it at all?, or are you presuming drugs were involved


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## Lamplighter (Aug 3, 2012)

macframalama said:


> who said anything about drugs, there was no mention of it at all?, or are you presuming drugs were involved


I wrote:

_Well young people use various designer drugs and go nuts. I agree that there seems to be something missing to the story. But you know drugs provide answers in cases of bizarre behavior._

I don't know whether it was drugs or not. What I'm saying is that drugs provide answers to senseless behavior.


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## kacairns (Apr 10, 2012)

Lamplighter said:


> Well young people use various designer drugs and go nuts. I agree that there seems to be something missing to the story. But you know drugs provide answers in cases of bizarre behavior.
> I was not there but the fact that someone has a knife doesn't mean much. Unless the young man is within striking distance or preparing to throw the weapon.
> 
> I've fired thousands of rounds and a bullet travels almost instantly to its destination. What I'm saying is wait until the last second to engage the threat.
> ...


Just wondering how many times you've had someone come at you with a knife or other weapon? When someone is coming towards you, fear sets in, and you do whatever at all costs to defend yourself, if you've got a gun in your hand or any other weapon to defend yourself with you're not going to "wait until the last second" to see what the persons intentions are, you aren't going to be thinking "maybe he'll stop a foot away from me and say "just joking!"". This fear process happens to everyone, police are trained to expect these types of situations and have a higher tolerance for the fear, they are still human and if they feel their life is in danger, I wouldn't question it unless there was something obviously wrong, like no weapon and so on.

Being cut with a knife doesn't feel good and takes awhile to heal. I'd hate to wait and see what it'd feel like to have the knife plunged into oneself.

Also those drug induced violence... even worse of a case for "waiting until the last second" argument, especially since people aim for largest section of the body, wouldn't it suck if you unloaded a round in the guy coming at you, he didn't drop because you just got tissue and because he was on some sort of drug just kept coming


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## Foxtail (Mar 14, 2012)

The average person can cover 20' in 1 second. The dad did the right thing under the circumstances... Lamplighter watch a training video called "defending edged weapons" its a bit cheezy but shows you just how terrifying knives can be.

I would agree with you, but then we would both be wrong...


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## Lamplighter (Aug 3, 2012)

kacairns said:


> Just wondering how many times you've had someone come at you with a knife or other weapon? When someone is coming towards you, fear sets in, and you do whatever at all costs to defend yourself, if you've got a gun in your hand or any other weapon to defend yourself with you're not going to "wait until the last second" to see what the persons intentions are, you aren't going to be thinking "maybe he'll stop a foot away from me and say "just joking!"". This fear process happens to everyone, police are trained to expect these types of situations and have a higher tolerance for the fear, they are still human and if they feel their life is in danger, I wouldn't question it unless there was something obviously wrong, like no weapon and so on.
> 
> Being cut with a knife doesn't feel good and takes awhile to heal. I'd hate to wait and see what it'd feel like to have the knife plunged into oneself.
> 
> Also those drug induced violence... even worse of a case for "waiting until the last second" argument, especially since people aim for largest section of the body, wouldn't it suck if you unloaded a round in the guy coming at you, he didn't drop because you just got tissue and because he was on some sort of drug just kept coming


Have you ever been shot in a leg? I'm certain that might have ended the situation Well I've only had someone come at me with a gun, twice. Sorry but I DO NOT recall being scared even though I thought it was the end.

Was the neighbour in imminent danger? What would have happened if the father retreated???

I have an opinion and it's etched in stone. I'm entitled to mine as much as you are to yours.


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## Lamplighter (Aug 3, 2012)

Foxtail said:


> The average person can cover 20' in 1 second. The dad did the right thing under the circumstances... Lamplighter watch a training video called "defending edged weapons" its a bit cheezy but shows you just how terrifying knives can be.
> 
> I would agree with you, but then we would both be wrong...


Perhaps the father shouldn't have been there.


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## Foxtail (Mar 14, 2012)

Lamplighter said:


> Perhaps the father shouldn't have been there.


Maybe... But if your sister called you and said someone in a ski mask is breaking into the house, wouldn't you go over?

I would agree with you, but then we would both be wrong...


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## macframalama (Apr 17, 2012)

for sure , i would be over there getting ready to stomp a mud hole in someone, however, if this guys teen son is trying to rob/break in to his aunts house , come toward anyone with a knife in your hand is a sign of aggression , i'd a pop his ass too.


Foxtail said:


> Maybe... But if your sister called you and said someone in a ski mask is breaking into the house, wouldn't you go over?
> 
> I would agree with you, but then we would both be wrong...


and lamplighter... old folks get coo coo on coco puffs too... it isnt just the youth of the world on these designer drugs,


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## Lamplighter (Aug 3, 2012)

macframalama said:


> for sure , i would be over there getting ready to stomp a mud hole in someone, however, if this guys teen son is trying to rob/break in to his aunts house , come toward anyone with a knife in your hand is a sign of aggression , i'd a pop his ass too.
> 
> and lamplighter... old folks get coo coo on coco puffs too... it isnt just the youth of the world on these designer drugs,


I knew someone that owned a crematorium. There were little markers where ashes of the departed had been laid to rest on the grounds. I was shocked to see the wasted youth.

In any event it's a sad story with an extremely sad ending.


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## Claudia (Apr 21, 2010)

No matter what this teen was his son, i cant imagine how he is feeling knowing he killed his own son. Is really sad, i dont think the teen was playing around, he was going to robbed his aunt and he got caught to bad he didnt stop seeing that it was his dad and that he had a gun, the father did it in self defense. Still a sad story


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## Lamplighter (Aug 3, 2012)

Whether we agree or not on some issues It's a tragic and sad story.


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## macframalama (Apr 17, 2012)

the only tragedy here is that the dad shot his kid... the kids death in itself is a result of piss poor decision making 

if this teen would have been jacking some stranger and gotten shot he would have been a statistic, not a sob story..
I think this all boils down to , if you play with fire you ass gonna get burned.


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## Lamplighter (Aug 3, 2012)

As I understand it the teenager was adopted so he's not related to the aunt or father by blood.


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## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

> As I understand it the teenager was adopted so he's not related to the aunt or father by blood.


Even so, I would assume that there are emotional ties, especially if he raised the boy for many years. As usual with the media, they've reported the most sensational parts of this story and left out the backstory information that probably explains what caused this.

Regardless of *why* it happened, it's a very sad and tragic situation for all involved.


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