Grieving in New Fairfield after teen dies

NEW FAIRFIELD, Conn. (WTNH) -- New Fairfield High School has canceled all extracurricular activities, including tonight's football game, as the town copes with the shooting death of 15-year-old Tyler Giuliano.

The state medical examiner has ruled that Giuliano died from multiple gunshot wounds. Police say when they found him, he was in possession of a knife.

"Unfortunately I think the weather's going to match the mood of the town for today," said New Fairfield First Selectman John Hodge on a rainy Friday.

Weary words from a town official, as New Fairfield High School students arrived barely 24 hours after sophomore Tyler Giuliano was fatally shot by his father , who thought he was an intruder.

"We're going to keep the kids protected and shielded from everything that's going on a best we can, around them today," Hodge said.

The father, 44-year-old Jeffrey Giuliano, a fifth-grade math teacher in town, had gotten a call from his sister next door about 1 a.m., that someone was trying to break in. Giuliano grabbed a gun and went outside to find a masked intruder. Apparently the would-be burglar came at him. That's when Jeffrey fired a fatal shot, completely unaware it was his own son.

Hodge tells News 8 that Tyler was adopted.

"The Dad must feel horrible," said senior Brian Wyckoff. "I mean, I would. If I ever did, I don't know how I'd live."

Wyckoff remembers Jeffrey Giuliano from his grade school days.

"I just remember he was always a nice guy," he said. "He'd walk around the hallway saying hi to everyone. He'd always have a smile on his face."

He also knew Tyler from school, and he says, like father, like son.

"Just a nice kid. He'd always have a smile on his face, he'd say hi to you."

As for why a 15-year-old boy might be burglarizing his aunt's home next door at 1 a.m., well the folks News 8 talked to are no closer to an answer than we are.

"I didn't know the family, but everything that I know and have been told, good kid," Hodge said.

Tyler was a member of the Civil Air Patrol, an Air Force auxiliary group.

"I don't know, he definitely does not seem like that kid," Wyckoff said. "He's not even close to seeming like that kid."

"Hopeful something will make some sense of this, some time in the future," Hodge said.

Police have determined that the shooting was in self-defense.

State police say it will likely take a week before they've wrapped up their investigation.