Young intruder shot to death unknowingly by father Home break-in: New Fairfield teacher answers neighboring sister's call for help

New Fairfield and state police are on the scene of a fatal shooting on Meeting House Hill Circle. Sources say a man shot his son, who was allegedly breaking into a relative's house. New Fairfield and state police are on the scene of a fatal shooting on Meeting House Hill Circle. Sources say a man shot his son, who was allegedly breaking into a relative's house. Photo: Carol Kaliff Photo: Carol Kaliff Image 1 of / 20 Caption Close Young intruder shot to death unknowingly by father 1 / 20 Back to Gallery

NEW FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- Around 1 a.m. Thursday, a woman heard an intruder break into her home at the end of a quiet neighborhood street. She called her brother, Jeffrey Giuliano, who lives next door on Meeting House Hill Circle. He came over with protection for his sister -- a handgun.

On the front lawn, Giuliano confronted the intruder, who was clothed all in black and wearing a ski mask.

The intruder lunged -- police said he was holding a weapon -- and Giuliano pulled the trigger. The shot killed the intruder.

Only after his ski mask was removed did Giuliano realize he knew the intruder. It was his adopted son.

Tyler Giuliano, a 10th-grader at New Fairfield High School who turned 15 on Aug. 2, was dead. State Police confirmed his identification and the circumstances. They offered no motive for the teenager's actions nor specified the weapon he was found holding.

"Everybody is just shaking their heads over it," First Selectman John Hodge said Thursday. "We're hoping the police can get to the bottom of it."

A family member, who did not want to be identified, said the boy was adopted and previously had the last name of Januzzi.

Jeffrey Giuliano, brother of the homeowner, Alexis Scocozza, was described Thursday as "everyone's favorite teacher." He teaches fifth grade and science at Meeting House Hill School and is known as Mr. G.

Schools Superintendent Alicia Roy sent an email to parents Thursday afternoon. "Our district has experienced a tragedy that has affected us deeply," she wrote to parents and guardians. The tragedy was not discussed with students, she wrote, because "the facts were not clear."

Thursday afternoon at New Fairfield Plaza, Robbie and Kim Sarnelli said they knew both Jeffrey Giuliano and his son, Tyler.

"He was very open and very happy,'' Kim Sarnelli said of Tyler.

Robbie Sarnelli had been a student of Giuliano's at Meeting House Hill School.

"Everybody liked him,'' he said.

Jeffrey Giuliano's colleagues at Meeting House Hill School declined comment Thursday afternoon. "We've been told not to say anything," said one teacher, who declined to give her name.

Tyler Giuliano was a member of the New Fairfield Civil Air Patrol, the first civil air patrol to be located at a Connecticut high school.

"He loved to fly," said Ken Chapman, adult leader of the patrol. Tyler "was active in the power and glider flight programs" and was starting his second year in the patrol.

Meeting House Hill Circle ends at the Giuliano and the Scocozza homes.

It is a neighborhood of well-kept Colonials and ranches, the shrubs and lawns well-trimmed. The road is narrow and the houses are close to each other.

One neighbor, who did not want to be named, said she heard shots in the night.

"We all heard shots and there was a commotion afterwards," she said.

Another neighbor, Lydia Gibbs, said she counted nine shots.

"I thought it was fireworks because nobody would think it was a shooting in this town," she said.

Gibbs said she had taken fifth-grade science from Giuliano.

"He was everyone's favorite teacher," she said.

The shooting elicited an outpouring of sympathy from Tyler Giuliano's friends and classmates, many of whom took to Twitter to convey their condolences.

One person, whose handle is @BK1mmel, wrote, "you can only hope nobody ever has to feel the pain and guilt that Mr G feels right now. prayers go out to the family.. RIP Tyler."

Another tweeted: "To think I was just in class with Tyler on Thursday joking around and talking with him; he was such a nice kid and a good friend #RIP."

The high school media center was open until 9 p.m. Thursday for children and parents who wish to gather, Roy said. An open house at the high school was rescheduled to Tuesday, she said.

"We know that you will join us in our concern, support, and sympathy for those involved in and affected by the tragedy," Roy said in the email.

The state medical examiner's office is scheduled to perform an autopsy Friday.

Dirk Perrefort and John Pirro contributed to this report.