Father charged after 28-year-old son’s suicide — 18 years after losing 8-year-old son in Massachusetts Uzi accident

A 70-year-old man has been charged after his 28-year-old son used one of his unsecured firearms to take his own life while a 12-year-old child was home, according to a Connecticut State Police arrest warrant.

Charles Bizilj, of Ashford faces three charges including Risk of Injury to a Child, Criminally Negligent Storage of a Firearm, and Failure to Declare High-Capacity Magazines.

On March 13, 2026, at approximately 12:42 a.m., State Police responded to the home for a reported self-inflicted gunshot wound. Colin Bizilj was found deceased in his first-floor bedroom from a gunshot wound to the head. The medical examiner ruled the death a suicide.

According to the affidavit, detectives found a Glock 19 9mm handgun. registered to Charles Bizilj, lying on the floor next to his son’s body in a pool of blood. The pistol had been stored in an unlocked black plastic gun box that also contained an empty 15-round magazine. A Marlin .22 caliber rifle was found in an unsecured soft case, and a ghost AR-15-style rifle along with multiple loaded 30-round magazines were also located in the bedroom.

Investigators noted that the 12-year-old half-sister of the deceased was home at the time, with her bedroom located directly across the hall from her brother’s.

During interviews, Charles Bizilj told police he had a house rule that firearms must be locked when not in use. Bizilj also claimed he was unaware of the modified Marlin rifle and the ghost gun in his son’s possession.

The warrant states Bizilj failed to declare the high-capacity magazines as required by Connecticut law.

Bizilj was arrested on the warrant and was released on a $50,000 cash/surety bond with his next court appearance scheduled for June.

According to WWLP, Bizilj’s 8-year-old son, Christopher, died after accidentally shooting himself in the head with a Mini Uzi machine gun at the Westfield Sportsman’s Club in Massachusetts in 2008. He was attending the event with his father and brother, Colin.