Student killed during burglary at college fraternity house

NEWARK, N.J. — A student 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.

The burglary took place around 3:30 a.m. at Tau Kappa Epsilon on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Newark, NJIT President Joel Bloom said.

Joseph Micalizzi, 23, of Freehold was pronounced dead about 90 minutes later at University Hospital, the Essex County prosecutor's office said.

"This is a tragic time for the student's family, friends and the entire NJIT campus and we extend our thoughts and prayers to all affected," Bloom said. "There is no imminent threat to NJIT's campus."

Details on a service for the slain student will be forthcoming.

The investigation was ongoing and no arrests have been made, the prosecutor's office said.

NJIT offered a $10,000 reward leading to the successful prosecution of the person or persons responsible.

The fraternity's website says the chapter was founded in 1965 and "promotes scholarship, leadership, character, teamwork, service, athletics, and brotherhood."

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

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