A young man from Long Island, who shot his former girlfriend in a failed murder‑suicide, says he was devastated when their “puppy love” ended, a family friend shared with The Post.
Emily Finn, who was 18 and just starting college, and the boy—whose name the paper is keeping confidential—were in different stages of their lives. Emily was pursuing higher education, while the boy was planning to enlist in the Army, and that split in direction brought their teenage romance to a halt, the source explained.
“It was that sort of young puppy love that just stopped making any sense anymore. It wasn’t going to work. Most of these young relationships don’t,” the friend, who chose not to reveal their name but who had known the man since he was a child, told reporters outside the boy’s family home on Thursday.
“I have no idea what exactly went wrong or what drove someone to such an extreme reaction,” the friend added.
“People are saying things like, ‘she must’ve done something to him,’ No, she didn’t,” he said, correcting the misguided comments.
Now the teen is spending his 18th birthday and Thanksgiving in a hospital bed, recovering from a serious gunshot wound to the face while anticipating murder charges.
According to Suffolk County Police, he fired the shots that killed Finn inside his home in Nesconset at around 11:10 a.m. on Wednesday.
The family friend said the boy’s drastic action stemmed from heartbreak after the recent breakup. Finn had been in the process of returning some of his belongings when the tragedy unfolded—a situation the friend stated was beyond what the young man could handle.
“The frontal lobe is still developing and isn’t ready to process these intense emotions. I’ve gone through breakups myself when I was younger and they were painful, but I never thought anyone would resort to something like this,” the friend remarked, describing the boy’s actions as “disgusting.”
“That’s what this all turned into: a young person’s inability to process the loss. It feels like the world is ending.”
The teen allegedly showed no signs of violent behavior leading up to the incident.
His parents are furious, the friend said, explaining that it isn’t a situation of “My kid, my kid.” The family claims they also haven’t been allowed inside the house since the tragedy and find it impossible to return there, “How would you be able to walk back into that house?”
“Emily is dead. Her family is shattered. Their world was taken in an instant.”
Finn’s loved ones declined to speak to The Post. In the wake of her death, an online fundraiser described her as “a true treasure of a girl.” The message read: “To know Emily is to love her, as she became part of the fabric of the lives she touched in her generous and kind way. Through her many years as a dancer, the children she taught as she prepared for a future as a teacher, and simply as a friend to so many, she will be sorely missed by all who knew her.”
Police have not yet released the accused’s name publicly, but announced he will face second‑degree murder charges and be arraigned later. While the full extent of his injuries remains unclear, authorities classify him as critically but stable.
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