18-Year-Old Long Island Ballerina Killed on Thanksgiving Eve – Details

In a season meant for family and reflection, a devastating turn of events in a Long Island neighborhood has left loved ones grasping for answers and holding tightly to memories of the young woman whose life was only beginning.

An 18-year-old ballerina who had just started college was fatally shot on Thanksgiving Eve, and police say her 17-year-old ex-boyfriend pulled the trigger before turning the gun on himself.

Suffolk County Police said the shooting happened inside the teen's Nesconset, N.Y., home around 11:10 a.m. on Wednesday, November 26, leaving the young woman, identified as Emily Finn, seriously wounded.

Emily, a West Sayville resident, was pronounced dead at the scene. After turning the gun on himself, the teen's parents rushed to call 911. He was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital, where officials say he remains in critical but stable condition.

Closure Turned Into Conflict

Det. Lt. Kevin Beyrer, who leads the Suffolk County homicide bureau, said Emily had visited the home to drop off her ex-boyfriend's belongings after their breakup. According to reports, the young adult had finished her studies at Sayville High School only a few months earlier, graduating in June 2025.

Emily had only just begun her college journey, while he had been looking ahead to a future in the military. A family friend told the New York Post that the breakup had hit the ex-boyfriend hard, describing it as the end of what they called "puppy love."

"It was young puppy love that stopped making sense. It wasn't going to work. Most of these young relationships don't," the friend said, adding that they had known him since he was four years old.

"I don't know where this went wrong and what led to such an extreme reaction," he continued. "People are in the comments like, 'she must've done something to him,' No, she didn't."

Consumed by Heartbreak

The family friend said the boy had never shown a pattern of violent behavior and appeared to be consumed by the emotional fallout of the breakup. He explained that the teen seemed unprepared to handle the intensity of those feelings and reacted in a way the friend found deeply disturbing.

In his view, the boy's actions reflected the kind of emotional overwhelm some adolescents face when they are convinced their world is collapsing. He also noted that the teen's parents were furious and were not trying to shield their son from responsibility.

According to him, they recognized the devastation the shooting caused — a family grieving the loss of Emily and two households suddenly shattered. Emily's family did not speak publicly in the days following her death.

A Community in Mourning

Veronica Neve Sol, a Brentwood alumna, reflected on the tragedy in a post, expressing deep sorrow for the classmates she knew who had lost a daughter and niece.

Mourners honored Emily with her favorite color at her services. According to the New York Post, her mother, Cliantha Finn, wore a pink sweater as part of the family's request that attendees incorporate the ballerina's signature shade, pink, into their clothing. Pink ribbons, bandanas, boots, jackets, and bows filled the funeral home.

The suspect is now identified as Austin Lynch. The teen's name was withheld early on because of his age, but authorities later confirmed he will be charged with second-degree murder and arraigned once he is stable. The investigation is still underway.

The young ballerina's death leaves a quiet ache in the community she once brightened. As the investigation continues, those who loved her are left mourning a future she never had the chance to live.

As Emily's loved ones struggled to absorb the shock of her death, a separate tragedy unfolding on the West Coast underscored how quickly violence continues to tear through cities and families.

Another Town, Another Tragedy

On the evening of November 29, 2025, what began as a joyful gathering at a restaurant on the 1900 block of Lucile Avenue turned into a nightmare. Multiple lives were shattered in seconds as a shooter turned toward partygoers, killing four people, including an innocent child, and injuring ten others.

The San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office revealed that emergency calls flooded in just before 6 p.m., as terrified patrons fled. Four people, unfortunately, couldn't escape.

Among the ten injured, some were rushed to nearby hospitals, but their conditions remain unclear. As of midnight on November 30, the scene of the shooting was still active, with police scouring for clues, as the suspect is still at large.

A Community Reeling

Sheriff's Office spokesperson Heather Brent shared a chilling detail, "Early indications suggest this may be a targeted incident, and investigators are exploring all possibilities."

But even as detectives dig for answers, the city's heart is breaking.

In a press conference held in the early hours of Sunday, Stockton's Mayor Christina Fugazi called this situation "unacceptable," as families were supposed to be gathered for a joyous occasion, not at the hospital begging for their loved one's lives.

A Desperate Plea for Information

She also implored the public to come forward with any detail that could help catch the person or people behind this horror. "Our city is better than that," she added.

The Sheriff's Office echoed the appeal on social media, "Community assistance is vital in helping us identify those responsible and bring justice to the victims and their loved ones."

San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas stepped in to assure the public that no stone would be left unturned.

He said multiple agencies were actively engaged in the investigation and promised that his office would use the full force of the law to ensure whoever was behind this faces the consequences for this senseless crime.

Authorities have urged the public to stay away from the area as the investigation into this tragedy continues. California currently has one of the strictest firearms laws in the country, yet incidents still happen.

Rappers' Alleged Presence

As news of this shooting spread, new allegations began to swirl. In a bombshell post, local media 209 Times claimed that local rappers MBnel and Fly Boy Doughy were present. Even more chilling: the report alleged that it was Fly Boy Doughy's own daughter's birthday party.

But they were quick to clarify: the information came from "the streets" and "sources in law enforcement," and has not yet been officially confirmed.

On Facebook, Kevin Steele stated that while the San Joaquin County authorities have confirmed this was a targeted attack, reports that MBnel himself was present are still too premature to verify. The story, he warned, is still developing.

MBnel, best known for his track "Feelings," has posted about his own young daughter in the past, including a birthday message last year on October 29.

Fans Flood Social Media With Panic and Prayers

Although the rapper's presence at the scene remains unverified, the internet exploded with speculation and concern. Fans and followers swarmed his social media accounts, desperate for answers and fearing the worst.

"You good bro???" one netizen wrote, panicked. Amid the confusion, others sent a flood of support and hope. "Pull thru🙏🏼," one urged. "Hope you good bro 🙏🏽," another echoed.

"Prayers brother!!! 🖤🖤🖤" someone added, as worry spread through the rapper's online community. One message said, "Nel I hope you feel better I heard about the shooting." Our thoughts are with those affected as a city mourns what should have been a child's happiest day.

Both tragedies, unfolding just days apart on opposite coasts, have left families and communities grasping for answers that may never fully come. For Emily's loved ones — and for the families mourning in California — the holidays now carry a weight that will not easily lift.