An Ashford man was apprehended on firearms and risk of injury to a child charges after his son used his gun to commit suicide.
Charles Bizilj, 70, of Ashford, was arrested on May 22 following an incident on March 13.
On March 13, 2026, around 12:45 a.m., Connecticut State Police (CSP) were alerted to 183 Hillside Road in Ashford after receiving reports of a man suffering from self-inflicted gunshot wounds. When they arrived, state officers discovered the male victim had died. The victim, Colin Bizilj, is 28 years old.
Hours later, detectives began searching the residence. During their investigation of the victim’s bedroom, authorities discovered a Glock 19 9mm handgun, which was recognized as the firearm Colin used. It appears to have been kept in a black plastic gun box without a locking mechanism.
Detectives also discovered a Marlin Model 60.22 caliber rifle in Colin Bizilj’s bedroom. This weapon was similarly kept in a soft plastic box without a lock or locking mechanism. An AR-15-style rifle was also found in the bedroom, placed inside an improperly locked gun case. The AR-15-style rifle lacked a serial number, categorizing it as a “ghost gun.” It was eventually discovered that Charles had registered both the Glock 19 and the Marlin Model 60.
Charles, Colin’s father, told detectives that he bought the weapon about eight years ago with the intention of signing it off to Colin. He also indicated that he did not believe Colin has a pistol permit, but had pushed him to obtain one. Charles also indicated that Colin suffered from depression and anxiety about ten years ago and had been seeing a counselor and taking medicine.
According to state police, the victim’s 12-year-old sister was present during the incident. They discovered that her bedroom was right across from Colin’s, but she was not in there at the time of the occurrence.
Charles’ arrest warrant was issued on May 12, and he was detained on May 22. Bizilj was charged with violating large capacity magazine regulations, endangering a child, and failing to store a handgun safely.
The Columbia Daily Tribune reports that Bizilj may have a past with weapons. In 2008, his then-8-year-old son Christopher died after inadvertently shooting himself at the Machine Gun Shoot and Firearms Expo at the Westfield Sportsman’s Club in Massachusetts. Colin and Charles witnessed the occurrence.
Leave a Reply