Dad grieves for son slain during burglary at N.J. frat

FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP, N.J. — The father of a student killed during a burglary at a fraternity house on a New Jersey college campus said his son tried to fight the burglars.

Joseph Micalizzi was studying to be an engineer at New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark. Early Monday morning, Micalizzi, 23, was fatally shot at the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity.

John Micalizzi said he heard from police that his son was killed after he tried to fight men who broke into the fraternity house. His son's reaction, he said, was typical of the boy he loved.

"He was a stand-up kid and nobody could push him around," said John Micalizzi. "That's how he was."

John Micalizzi spoke to his son Sunday evening. He called often to check on his only son to be sure he was safe.

"Unfortunately, he wasn't that night," he said.

John Micalizzi didn't learn anything was wrong until later Monday morning. He got a call from his wife who was worried about Joseph. She saw something on the news; she wasn't sure whether Joseph was involved. She passed along the number of a man who had called her.

John Micalizzi called the number. It was a school official who told him his son had been shot.

Immediately, John left his job as an aircraft technician at Newark Liberty International Airport, and rushed to find his son at University Hospital.

But his boy was dead.

“It’s like somebody stuck a knife in my abdomen," John Micalizzi said. "And that’s how it feels. It's unbelievable. It's surreal.”

John described Joseph as a hardworking kid. He recalled how his son played trumpet in the marching band and jazz band at Howell Middle School North. He recalled his son wrestling in middle school and high school.

Joseph was in his second year at New Jersey Institute of Technology studying mechanical engineering after transferring from Brookdale Community College. He made the honor roll in high school and college. The father said the son recently took management courses and he aspired to get his master's degree and a management position in engineering.

Occasionally, Joseph would go to dance or see a show in Atlantic City, John Micalizzi said. But Joseph didn't have much time for leisure. John said he went to a motorcycle race Saturday, but Joseph couldn't join him because he was studying for his finals.

“He’s just a great kid," John Micalizzi said. "Just a great kid. Unbelievable. The earth lost an angel, believe me. He’s somebody who would have contributed to society."

The robbery comes less than one month after Rutgers University-Newark student Shani Patel, 21, was killed in his apartment, just three blocks away from the Tau Kappa Epsilon house.

The Essex County Prosecutor's Office released no information Tuesday on Micalizzi's killing.

“There is no new information right now," said spokeswoman Katherine Carter.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie spoke about the killing during a Tuesday tour of the university.

"The murder of Joe Micalizzi, at 23 years old, is an extraordinary tragedy, not only for this university’s community but also for us as a state and for me as a father," the governor said.

"For those of you who know this family personally I’d urge you not — it’s always an awkward thing, but don’t stay away, move forward, embrace them," Christie said. "And as parents, let them know how much you feel their pain. It will help; I guarantee it will help."

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