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Newark Police Lieutenant John Formisano, 49, was arrested at his parents' Livingston house around 11:50 Sunday night, just a half hour after shooting his estranged wife Christine Solaro and her new boyfriend -- killing her and seriously injuring him.
Formisano's two young children -- Rachel and Ryan -- may have witnessed it all.
More than $3,000 had been raised as of Tuesday on a GoFundMe for the kids who will live the rest of their lives without either parent.
"Tragedy struck the Formisano-Solaro family this week leaving two beautiful, innocent children to grieve their mother, Christie Solaro's, death and their father, John Formisano, who has been charged with her passing," page founder Mike Velez wrote.
"These children have a rough road ahead. We are raising money to help offset the costs of relocating the children, setting up their new living situation, and providing a financial foundation for their future needs."
Formisano, who filed for divorce on June 7, stopped by the Mirror Place home Sunday to drop off a pair of eye glasses belonging to one of the kids when he suspected there may have been another man in the house, NJ.com reports.
A 24-year veteran of the Newark Police Department, Formisano told detectives he "blacked out" before firing his gun, then fleeing the scene, the report says.
Members of the Jefferson Township Police Department, Morris County Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team (SERT) and the Morris County Office of Emergency Management’s Special Operation Group (SOG) entered the Mirror Place home in the White Rock section of the township to rescue the two youngsters after the shooting, and provided potentially life-saving medical aid to the male victim, the sheriff's office said in a news release.
It was unknown at the time if the shooter was still inside.
"SERT and SOG immediately teamed up outside the residence along with other responding law enforcement officers," the department said.
"A female shooting victim was deceased outside of a nearby home. The shooter’s current whereabouts were unknown at that time, but two children, both under the age of 10, were still inside the home along with a second adult male shooting victim, who was conscious but bleeding."
SERT, SOG and Jefferson police came up with an emergency plan of entry specifically to rescue the kids, save the bleeding man and help anyone else that may have been inside, the press release says.
Authorities found both children unharmed and immediately cleared and secured a section of the home to save the gunshot victim.
Emergency medical technicians and SOG members stopped all life-threatening bleeding before taking him to Morristown Medical Center Trauma Hospital.
Formisano was charged with murder, attempted murder, endangering the welfare of a child and weapon possession.
“I pray for Christine Formisano who tragically lost her life during this incident as well as the recovery of the survivors, and healing for their families who have suffered a terrible loss,” Morris County Sheriff James Gannon said.
“I am very proud of the work of all the Morris County law enforcement agencies in their response, rescue, treatment of the survivors, and ultimate criminal investigation of this very tragic event.”
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