UPDATE: Second man arrested in murder of NJIT student, authorities say

NEWARK -- One man was arrested and another was wanted for the slaying of a New Jersey Institute of Technology student, who was fatally shot during a robbery at his fraternity house near campus, authorities said Friday.

Taquan Harris, 22, of Newark, and Nafee Cotman, 18, of Irvington, were each charged with murder, felony murder, burglary and weapons offenses in the killing of 23-year-old Freehold native Joseph Micalizzi, Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray announced at a press conference. Micalizzi was shot in his bedroom at the Tau Kappa Epsilon house on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard around 3 a.m. Monday.

Cotman was arrested at his Irvington home early Thursday, said Quovella M. Spruill, acting chief of investigators with the county prosecutor's office.

Harris remained at large and authorities said he should be considered armed and dangerous.

The two attackers did not know Micalizzi and were searching for cash before the deadly encounter, Murray added. It was unclear if they entered the house through a locked or unlocked door, and why they targeted the residence.

"This is a loss of a promising young man, who by every indication, was poised to make a great contribution to the state of New Jersey," Murray said.

According to police sources, Micalizzi struggled with the two intruders and was shot in the hand and head. He was rushed to University Hospital, but pronounced dead about two hours later.

The Essex County Sheriff's Office and NJIT offered rewards in the killing. Murray declined to say if anyone would collect the sum, citing the need to keep the program anonymous.

Micalizzi's killing came less than a month after a Rutgers-Newark student was gunned down at his off-campus residence, also near the school. Law enforcement sources previously told NJ Advance Media that shooting was a possible drug-related robbery gone wrong.

The violence sent shockwaves through Newark's college community and prompted police to boost patrols. Serious crime remains low in the NJIT and Rutgers area, officials have said.

"NJIT is a safe campus," said Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who joined a host of local and county law enforcement officials at the press conference. "It is always bustling with people and activity and it's one of the best institutions we have in the state of New Jersey, and we are proud of it."

Anthony Ambrose, the city's public safety director, said he met with police chiefs at both schools to enhance police patrols in cooperation with the college officers.

NJIT President Joel Bloom also said the school campus was secure. Security measures include certified, armed police officers among a 60-person public safety department. The campus force works closely with Rutgers and city police, he added.

"I am there 25 years and this is the first time I've had to deal with a murder on our campus," Bloom told reporters. "This has been a terrible, terrible tragedy for all of us, particularly the family."

"We will continue to work in keeping our campus safe," Bloom added.

Micalizzi, a junior, transferred to NJIT to pursue a mechanical engineering degree after studying for two years at Brookdale Community College in Monmouth County. He earned a spot on the Dean's List and was remembered by a former teacher as focused, humble and respectful.

"He was the kind of kid you would want your own kids to be friends with," Howell High School teacher Joe Cantaffa told NJ Advance Media this week.

Hundreds of students gathered Tuesday at NJIT for a candlelight vigil honoring Micalizzi.

Authorities urged anyone with information about Harris' whereabouts to call the Essex County Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force at 1-877-847-7432.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.