Newark College Burglary Homicide VictimA Newark New Jersey college student was reportedly attempting to stop a burglary at a frat house when he was murdered.

According to law enforcement, the homicide happened around 3:00 a.m. at the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity house, which is located on Martin Luther King Boulevard in Newark, NJ. The homicide victim went to school at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT).

The two suspects allegedly gained entry to the residence by accessing a rear door. Once inside the home, they reportedly encountered the 23-year-old victim. During a subsequent violent struggle, the suspects allegedly used a handgun to fire several gunshots at the victim, hitting him in the hand and head.

Emergency medical responders got to the fraternity house, briefly treated the victim, and then rushed him to nearby University Hospital. Tragically, doctors were unable to save the victim; he was pronounced dead roughly two hours after the shooting.

There had been several reported burglaries at the same NJIT fraternity house in the weeks and months preceding the shooting incident. Newark NJ police are investigating the theft attempts and are trying to determine whether they are connected.

If Newark authorities can eventually figure out the identities of the suspects in the homicide, it is likely that the culprits would face criminal charges for first degree murder. As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:11-3, murder is the most severely punished criminal offense in the New Jersey Criminal Code. A conviction on first degree murder charges could lead to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of incarceration of 30 years in NJ State Prison.

For more information about this case, read the NJ.com article, “Slain NJIT Student Died in Attempt to Fight off Burglars, Sources Say.”