NJ father kills wife, 2 children in apparent murder-suicide at home: authorities

A family of four in New Jersey died in an apparent murder-suicide at their home over the weekend when a husband shot his wife and their two children before turning the gun on himself, authorities said Monday.

Krzysztof Nieroda, 41, is believed to have shot his wife, 41-year-old Justyna Nieroda, and their two children, Sebastian and Natalie, ages 14 and 13, respectively, at their home in Linden early Sunday morning, the Linden Police Department said.

Krzysztof Nieroda then called a family member and told them that he had shot and killed his wife and children before shooting himself in the head with a single gunshot, according to investigators.

The murder weapon was found in his hand when officers arrived at the home around 9:30 a.m., police said.

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A 14-year-old boy found at the scene was hospitalized in critical condition. He later died of his injuries. (FOX5 New York WNYW)

Responding officers found Krzysztof Nieroda, Justyna Nieroda and Natalie Nieroda dead at the scene. The 14-year-old was rushed to a hospital in critical condition, but later died of his injuries, officials said.

“In tragedies of this magnitude, there are no words that can heal, nor explanations that can serve to make sense of them to the public,” Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel said in a statement. “Our thoughts go out to the family and friends of these victims and to the Linden community as a whole in the wake of this horrible event.”

Krzysztof Nieroda, 41, is believed to have shot his wife and two children before shooting himself in the head at their home in Linden, New Jersey, early Sunday, police said. (FOX5 New York WNYW)

The circumstances that led to the apparent murder-suicide were unclear.

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“When things like this happen, people are left trying to figure out why, but nobody will really know why,” Linden Mayor Derek Armstead told MyCentralJersey.com. “Nobody will know except for them, and they are gone.”

Krzysztof Nieroda called a family member after shooting his family and divulged what he had done before shooting himself, according to investigators. (FOX5 New York WNYW)

Linden Police Chief David Hart urged those who may be suffering to find help.

“We are not alone in our grief; each of us has a shared responsibility to be there for our loved ones as we mourn the loss of our friends and neighbors,” Hart said in a statement. “If you or someone you know may be suffering, please don’t hesitate to ask for help before a crisis occurs.”

Investigators did not immediately provide further information.

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Linden is located about 10 miles south of Newark and 19 miles from New York City.