Mike Davis, and Alex N. Gecan

Asbury Park Press

NEWARK – A student from Freehold was shot and killed Monday during a burglary at a fraternity house near the New Jersey Institute of Technology, the university president said in a statement.

NJIT identified the student as 23-year-old Joseph Micalizzi, a mechanical engineering major. He was in his second year at NJIT after transferring from Brookdale Community College, the university said. Micalizzi made the dean's list in the fall.

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"NJIT is mourning the loss of Joseph Micalizzi," NJIT President Joel Bloom said in a statement. "This is a tragic time for Joe’s family, friends and the entire NJIT campus and we extend our thoughts and prayers to all affected."

Micalizzi was killed at the Tau Kappa Epsilon house on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Newark during a burglary, which took place at around 3:30 a.m., according to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office. Katherine Carter, a spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office, said that Micalizzi was shot inside the house.

It is not yet clear how many suspects authorities are looking for, but Carter did say that nobody else was hurt.

The investigation is ongoing and no other information has been released.

Family members declined to be interviewed Monday afternoon.

Diane McCool, a neighbor of the Micalizzi family on Decicco Drive, remembered a young man who looked out for those around him.

McCool's daughters were walking Cookie, the family dog, when they spotted a suspicious car, said McCool. Micalizzi happened to be out walking his dog at the same time and, when the frightened girls ran up to him, he called the police immediately.

"Joe's dad came, he was very proud of his son, because he did the right thing, calling the police," said McCool. She said that police officers tracked down the car and the people inside said they had been scouting the neighborhood for a restaurant. But, she said, she never saw the car in that neighborhood again.

"He's just a good kid, a good family," said McCool. "I hope they catch those bastards."

Micalizzi graduated from Howell High School in 2011, Freehold Regional High School District spokeswoman Rebecca Policastro said in an email.

"Everyone at the Freehold Regional High School District is heartbroken by the tragic loss of one of our family members. Our thoughts and prayers are with Joseph Micalizzi’s loved ones at this difficult time," she said.

Information about memorial services will be announced. Bloom said there is no imminent threat to the campus.

The robbery comes less than one month after Rutgers-Newark student and Toms River native Shani Patel, 21, was killed in his Central Avenue apartment, just three blocks away from the TKE house.

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Alex Baker, a spokesman for the TKE national organization, said NJIT fraternity chapter was founded in 1965 and aims to "aid men in their mental moral and social development throughout their lifetime." There are about 30 members of the chapter, he said.

"We are saddened to hear about the shooting of a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon that happened at NJIT," Baker said. "We are still working to learn the details of what occurred and both the men at the Kappa-Eta chapter and International Headquarters will fully cooperate with the police investigation. Our thoughts and prayers are with the member's friends and family."

The Essex County Prosecutor's Office and NJIT are each offering rewards of up to $10,000 for information on the shooting. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force at 1-877-TIPS-4EC or 1-877-847-7432.

NJIT has 11,325 students who mainly pursue degrees in science and technology.

Contributing: The Associated Press

Mike Davis: (732) 643-4223; mdavis@gannettnj.com

Alex N. Gecan: (732) 643-4043; agecan@gannettnj.com.