Authorities in New Hampshire say a woman fatally shot her husband and two of their children before killing herself in what has been described as a tragic murder-suicide. Emily Long, 34, her husband Ryan Long, 48, and their children Parker, 8, and Ryan, 6, were all found dead Monday inside the family’s Madbury home, according to the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office.
A third child, a three-year-old toddler, was discovered unharmed. Officials have not yet determined a motive. Investigators confirmed that Ryan Long died from multiple gunshot wounds, while both children suffered fatal single gunshot wounds. Emily Long also died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to The Daily Mail.
The attorney general’s office said Wednesday that investigators are aware of “various concerns/issues ongoing in the household at the time of the event in question,” but cautioned the public against assuming the tragedy stemmed from one single cause.
In the days leading up to the incident, Emily Long posted a video on TikTok in which she spoke emotionally about her husband, who was reportedly battling an aggressive form of brain cancer. In the video, titled “watch me brag about my husband for 7 minutes,” she described being “obsessed” with him and called him “literally the best human on this planet” and a “phenomenally perfect man.”
She described herself as “very outspoken, very impulsive, emotionally driven,” noting that her husband was her “perfect opposite.” She added, “I don’t take boundaries very well. And, like, I fly off the cuff in not a violent way, obviously. If I feel something, I am going to say it. Sometimes it gets me into trouble.”
Reflecting on their relationship, she said, “He’s always devil’s advocate, as much as it literally kills me. He’s so thoughtful in his decisions. He’s the most ethical human on this entire planet. Every single decision he makes is based on his code of ethics.”
Emily Long expressed sorrow over the thought of losing her husband to illness, saying, “I think one of the things I’m going to miss is being able to show him how wonderful he’s been to me, and he can enjoy that. I think that bums me out.”
Ryan Long worked as a school psychologist at Oyster River Middle School, according to NBC Boston. The attorney general’s office said it had received accounts of his health struggles from witnesses but had not reviewed his medical records.
If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or text HOME to 741741 for the Crisis Text Line. These services are free and confidential.
