Kristjan Ndoj’s family asked for privacy Thursday while they look to God for help in dealing with the tragic loss of the 15-year-old Shelton High School student.
They want Kristjan to be remembered as a smart, athletic boy, wise beyond his years, who always had a sparkle in his bright green eyes.
The family, through a statement issued by their lawyer at a press conference Thursday, also thanked doctors at Bridgeport Hospital for their efforts to save Kristjan, and expressed confidence that police will make an arrest in the case.
Shelton police, meanwhile, said at the press conference they believe they know the location from which two gunshots that hit Ndoj Saturday night were fired from, but revealed little else about the status of their investigation.
Ndoj (pronouned “en-DOY”) died Thursday from the wounds sustained in the shooting, making the case a homicide investigation.
The boy had been in critical condition since the shooting Saturday, which was reported about 8:45 p.m. via a 911 call from the homeowner at 1 Agawam Trail.
Officers arrived to find Ndoj in the driveway suffering from two gunshot wounds, in the head and arm.
Police said this week Ndoj had gone to the area with a friend to visit other friends but didn’t go into further details.
A “Go Fund Me” campaign to raise money to help Ndoj’s family had raised more than $10,000 by Thursday.
Michael Boynton, a lawyer acting as the family’s spokesman, read a statement at Thursday’s press conference asking for the public to refrain from contacting the family.
The video below contains the family’s statement:
“Today, the Ndoj family suffered the horribly tragic loss with the passing of their beloved Kristjan,” Boynton said. “A bright boy, and naturally gifted athlete, who seemed wise beyond his years, will be remembered by all who knew him for the sparkle in his bright green eyes.”
“As the family grieves and looks to their faith to sustain them in this trying time, they request that the media and public respect their privacy and refrain from contacting them,” the statement, which expressed confidence police will make an arrest, went on.
Boynton said Kristjan leaves behind a mother, father, and brother.
The full statement is posted below.
Beth Smith, the headmaster at Shelton High School, said she informed students and staff at the school of Ndoj’s death Thursday afternoon.
“Our entire school community is deeply saddened by this news in what has been an emotional time for all of us,” Smith said.
She said a crisis and support staff will be available to students and staff to help them deal with the tragic news.
Her statement is below:
Shelton Police Lt. Robert Kozlowsky said at the press conference that the police have brought in the assistance of the Ansonia, Derby, and Fairfield police departments, as well as state police and EnCon police from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
Investigators probing the crime are working “at full throttle,” he said.
His statement, with a few questions from reporters, is below:
“Our detectives and investigators have been working around the clock,” Kozlowsky said. “This is not something we deal with on a routine basis so we’ve brought in the expertise of other law enforcement agencies.”
He said EnCon police determined that the shots that hit Kristjan were fired from a wooded area near the property, the only new investigative information to come out of Thursday’s press conference.
But he said he couldn’t go into other details about the shooting probe — such as whether police have determined any connection between the shooting and threats allegedly made against Kristjan in the days before the shooting.
“We’re aware of the threats that were made,” Kozlowsky said. “It’s one of the many angles we’re looking into.”
Kozlowsky asked for patience as police try to piece together the details of the crime.
“We want to do it correctly,” he said. “We’re taking our time, we’re being methodical, we want to do it the right way.”
He declined to say whether the police have identified a suspect or suspects in the shooting. Earlier Thursday he said police have not applied for any warrants related to the homicide.
