Social media influencer found dead at L.A. home

GMA

Filipino American social media influencer Emmanuelle "Emman" Atienza, the 19-year-old daughter of Filipino TV host Kim Atienza, died by suicide at her Los Angeles home on October 22. Her family confirmed her passing and requested privacy in a statement released Oct. 24 on social media.

"It's with deep sadness that we share the unexpected passing of our daughter and sister, Emman," the statement began.

"She brought so much joy, laughter, and love int our lives and into the lives of everyone who knew her," they continued.

The family described Emman as someone who made "people feel seen and heard."

"She wasn't afraid to share her own journey with mental health. Her authenticity helped so many feel less alone," they added.

Reading about the suicide of 19-year-old Emman Atienza, I can't help but think about the unspoken stories of our community.

This is a story that goes beyond a single tragedy. It's a snapshot of a bigger problem, one we rarely talk about. Here was a young Filipino American influencer, seemingly with the world at her fingertips, who was battling demons in plain sight. Emman was candid about her mental health struggles on TikTok and Instagram, but her bravery couldn't shield her from the constant vitriol of online hate.

We're often told to be resilient, to just brush things off or simply pray to God. But what happens when the weight of the world, amplified by a thousand faceless trolls online, becomes too much to bear?

Emman was a popular social media personality who built a massive following at 19, with over 900,000 on TikTok and 240,000 on Instagram. Through her social media accounts, she was an advocate for mental well-being and empowered Gen Z through body positivity.

She had been open on her platforms about her mental health struggles. In a social media post in January 2024, she disclosed that she had struggled with mental illness since age 12 and had relapsed into self-harm.

In the months leading up to her death, Emman had briefly deactivated her TikTok account, despite having over a million followers. In an Instagram broadcast on September 1, the influencer explained the reasons behind the deactivation. She could be heard saying:

“Some of you guys messaged me asking where my TikTok account is, if I got banned, if I deleted it, etc., and I just wanted to update saying I deactivated it. I feel like the hate has piled up in my head subconsciously.”

She explained that she needed time away from social media to “recollect my thoughts, reset my values, and clear my head of the dread.”

Her death has prompted a wider discussion about the impact of cyberbullying and online harassment on mental health. In a September 2025 post, Atienza detailed the toll that constant negativity and anxiety took on her mental health from online hate.

Her father, Kim Atienza ,is a popular television host in the Philippines and a former Manila councilor.

We see a young life cut short and hear the echoes of a family's grief. It's a reminder that even in the darkest moments, hope is needed. Emman's passing has ignited a new conversation about the toxic environment of social media and its impact on mental health.

Filipino Americans experience higher rates of mental health issues like depression and anxiety than other Asian American groups, yet they are significantly less likely to seek professional treatment. This disparity is driven by a complex mix of cultural factors, historical trauma, and systemic barriers that create a profound stigma around mental health struggles and help-seeking.

This is our collective task as Filipinos and Filipino Americans: to speak up, to protect our young, and to turn our grief and/or shame into real change. The digital world is here to stay, but the compassion we extend to one another must also be a constant. Otherwise, the cycle of online harassment and silent suffering will continue.

The Atienza family asked their fans and followers to "carry forward the qualities she lived by: compassion, courage and a little extra kindness in your everyday life."

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. 

Asian American man believed to have died in Virginia home explosion

James Yoo, right, is presumed to have died in the explosion, left, that destroyed his home.

Police identified the suspect inside an Arlington, Virginia, home that exploded Monday while police were executing a search warrant as resident James Yoo, 56, and said they are investigating “concerning” posts he allegedly made on social media.

A residence about five-miles from the Pentagon was totally destroyed by a large explosion that rocked neighboring homes.

Yoo is presumed to be dead, Arlington County Police Chief Andy Penn said.

“Human remains have been located at the scene. The office of the Chief Medical Examiner will work to positively identify the individual and cause and manner of death,” Penn told reporters Tuesday.

The Arlington Police Department posted on Facebook the following report:

"At approximately 4:45 p.m. on December 4, the Arlington County Police Department was dispatched to the 800 block of N. Burlington Street for the report of possible shots heard," the post began. "The preliminary investigation indicated a suspect discharged a flare gun approximately 30 – 40 times from inside his residence into the surrounding neighborhood. No property damage or injuries were reported related to the discharge of the flare gun.

"During the course of the investigation, officers obtained a search warrant for the suspect's residence and attempted to make contact with the suspect over the telephone and through loudspeakers. The suspect did not respond and remained barricaded inside the residence. As officers were attempting to execute the search warrant, the suspect discharged several rounds, from what is believed to be a firearm, inside the home. Subsequently, at approximately 8:25 p.m., an explosion occurred at the residence. The investigation into the circumstances of the explosion are ongoing.

"The Arlington County Fire Department responded to the scene to extinguish the fire. As of approximately 10:30 p.m., the fire is under control and crews continue to battle small spot fires.

"Three officers reported minor injuries and there were no transports to the hospital related to this incident. The investigation is ongoing."

An examination of Yoo's social media by authorities found that Yoo believed in conspiracy theories about government officials, law enforcement and media outlets.

An example of his postings reads:  “Would you agree the U.S. government is the biggest terrorist organization? And that you’re all gonna be Israel puppets soon?”

In another post he asserted that the Jan. 6 insurrection was orchestrated by "THEM." He posted: “THEY do not want an actual coup against THEM so THEY rig, orchestrate, and control a FAKE Jan 6th event riot and then RIG TRIALS to set FAKE PRECEDENCE in attempts to scare and control the People’s minds.”

Yoo called for the defunding of the FBI, the CIA, and the National Security AgencyYoo called for the defunding of the FBI, the CIA, and the National Security Agency.

He was known by the FBI for several calls complaining about alleged frauds targeting him. The FBI said they never opened an investigation on his allegations.

Neighbors said that Yoo lived alone in his duplex residence. Residents of the other duuplex unit were evacuated prior to the explosion by the police. 

Yoo was a self-employed landlord, according to WJLA. A George Mason University graduate, Yoo worked for several nearby tech companies.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at Threads.net/eduardodiok, @DioknoEd on Twitter or at the  blog Views From the Edge.

Nat'l Center for AANHPI Behavioral Health to be established

The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) was awarded nearly $3.5 million from the US Department of Health and Human Services to establish a first-of-its-kind national Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Behavioral Health Center of Excellence.

“Truly responsive behavioral health services must address stigma and provide resources that address cultural trauma and culturally-informed treatment,” said Marian Tsuji, Deputy Director of Behavioral Health.

DOH will receive the nearly $3.5 million in federal funds over the next five years. The Center of Excellence will promote culturally and linguistically appropriate behavioral health information and practices; establish a steering committee with participants from across the country to identify emerging issues; and provide training, technical assistance, and consultation to practitioners, educators and community organizations. Key partners include Papa Ola Lokahi and San Jose State University.

 “We are honored to lead this national Center of Excellence to bring together cultural practitioners, behavioral health experts, and other stakeholders to ensure that we are meeting systemic behavioral health needs of our diverse communities,” said Tsuiji.

Research on mental health of NHPIs is limited, but studies focused on AANHPIs in general suggest that mental health is highly stigmatized, with limited help-seeking from these communities. Social stigma, shame, religion, and lack of culturally and linguistically appropriate services, may prevent many community members from talking about mental health and seeking care when needed.

AANHPIs include people with ancestry from the continent of Asia and the Pacific Islands from over 50 ethnicities, with over 100 languages and dialects.

AANHPIs are the fastest-growing ethnic minority group in the country, yet are the least likely group to receive care for mental illness. More than 76% of AANHPI individuals who have been diagnosed with a mental illness and 93% of those with substance use disorder do not receive treatment. 

Additionally, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that in 2019, Asian Pacific Islanders, ages 15-24 years old, was the only race/ethnicity group in this age category where suicide was the leading cause of death.

The AANHPI Center of Excellence will develop infographics and other materials that address behavioral health, including those that provide data disaggregated by race and ethnicity; provide guidance on best practices for improving engagement and retention of AANHPI behavioral health professionals; and serve as an accessible and trusted clearinghouse for evidence-based behavioral health resources and products.

From March 2020 to March 2022, over 11,500 incidents of AANHPI discrimination were reported by Stop AAPI Hate. 

On January 26, 2021, President Biden issued the Memorandum Condemning and Combating Racism, Xenophobia, and Intolerance against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States, which calls for the federal government to address this issue. 

Agencies across the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – including SAMHSA – in coordination with the COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force, are working together to advance cultural competency, language access and sensitivity toward AAPIs within the federal COVID-19 response. In addition, on May 20, 2021, President Biden signed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act to reduce the number of hate crimes against AANHPIs by expediting the hate crime review process through the Department of Justice and providing additional federal grants to local enforcement agencies to address these issues. 

“Today’s announcement is a key step in the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to eliminate health disparities affecting AA and NHPI communities,” said Krystal Ka‘ai, Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. “This new center will provide access to culturally and linguistically appropriate behavioral health services that are essential as our communities continue to grapple with the effects of the pandemic and anti-Asian violence.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

Breaking the Silence: Constance Wu returns to social media after battling thoughts of suicide

Actress Constance Wu put her mental health before her career.

Few of Constance Wu's fans knew how deeply she was affected by the social media storm that followed her controversial tweet after her show, Fresh Off the Boat, was renewed for another season.

She was so distraught, she left social media for three years and contemplated suicide.

“Looking back, it’s surreal a few DMs convinced me to end my own life, but that’s what happened,” Wu wrote in a tweet today (Thursday, July 14). It was the first tweet from the Asian American actress in three years in what she called a slow return to social media.

Based on the roles she plays and her earlier social media posts, the image Wu presented to the public was one of a self-assured, feisty woman overcoming the racist and sexist environment of her industry.

As we later learned, that image was a cover for a sensitive, vulnerable actress, who like many others in her field, wore her emotions on her sleeve at the ready, in case those feelings are needed for a character she was playing.

In 2019, Wu tweeted her disappointment that the show that boosted her career, Fresh Off The Boat, was given a sixth season, writing, “So upset right now that I’m literally crying. Ugh. Fuck.” 

The backlash was immediate and vicious, portraying her as "selfish" and "ungrateful" and not thinking about the hundreds of other workers and actors employed by the series.

In an attempt to calm the waters from her fans and fellow actors, she later said that she “was temporarily upset” because the renewal meant she “had to give up another project that I was really passionate about,” and her apparent displeasure had nothing to do with her show. 

Still, her comments went viral, with many people in the entertainment business inferred that she was ungrateful for the opportunity the show had given her.

Wu said  that she felt that she had become "a blight on the Asian American community. I started feeling like I didn't deserve to live anymore.

"Luckily, a friend found me and rushed me to the ER,: she continued. It was after that scary event that she decided to reassess her life. Just as she was getting momentum in Hollywood, for the next few years, Wu decided to put her mental health ahead of her career.

After the roaring success of Crazy Rich Asians in 2018, she disappeared from social media and foregoing the publicity circuit of talk shows and media interviews for her 2019 movie  Hustlers with megastar Jennifer Lopez and The Terminal List, the Netflix film that debuted earlier this month.

Last Tuesday, July 12, she made a cautious return to social media explaining her absence from the public eye. It was in this post that she revealed that she made an attempt to take her own life.

She decided to use her "scary moment" as a teaching device and to reach out to others who are in a similar situation. Instead of being ashamed of the low point in her mental health and keep it to herself, she wrote a book and began taking small steps in returning to social media. 

"Even though I'm scared, I've decided I owe it to the me-of-three -years-ago, to be brave and share my story so it might help someone with theirs," Wu concluded. 

Following is Constance Wu's initial tweet upon returning to social media.

S

And then, this morning, (July 16) Wu followed up with this information:

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

Mother kills self and her 3 children after father commits suicide

LEE FAMILY

Molly Cheng, Lee Yee and their children.

Minnesota authorities are calling the deaths of a Hmong American family a triple homicide and a double suicide.

Molly Cheng, 23, drowned her three young children and herself July 1 after she called police earlier that day to report that her husband, Yee Lee, 27, had shot himself, authorities said.

After Molly Cheng's call Maplewood police, a relative called 911 to report that Molly Cheng intended to kill herself and her three children. Authoritieis, who were sending a social worker to the Cheng family after Yee Lee's suicide, put out a statewide alert and began a frantic search for the family. It wasn't until Tuesday, July 5, that the bodies of the mother and her children were pulled from Vadnais Lake.

The Ramsey County medical examiner reported that Quadrillion T. Lee, 4; Phoenix Lee, 5; and Estella Zoo Siab Lee, 3, all drowned. The youngest two had also been smothered, the medical examiner ruled.

Their mother, Molly Cheng, 23, drowned, and Yee Lee, believed to be the children's father, died of a gunshot wound.

Family spokesman Chong Lue Lee, father of Yee Lee, said he wasn’t aware whether either his son or Cheng struggled with mental health issues. He described his son and Cheng as nice, kind people. the couple were both born in Thailand and grew up in the Thai refugee camp, Wat Tham Krabok.

“They are the last wave of Hmong refugees from Wat Tham Krabok,” Lee said of a group of Hmong refugees who left the camp in the early 2000s.

Both met in the Twin Cities and had been together for seven years. The couple operated a nail and hair salon in Brooklyn Park, Lee said. 

When police arrived after Molly Cheng called about Yee Lee's suicide, family members began gathering. Police tape prevented them from entering the house but they began making plans for the children. Molly Cheng rejected the offer to have the children spend the night at Chong Lue Lee's home. She did not want to be separated from her children.

The extended family left Molly Cheng and her children at the house believing the police would remain but the police soon left leaving the family alone.

At that point, Molly Chen left with her children. She called a friend to say what her intentions were. The friend called family and the relatives alerted police.

Authorities found the children's shoes near the lake and began dragging the lake. The first body was found Sunday, JJuly 5. By Monday, all the bodies had been recovered.

“We greatly appreciate that the police were present at the scene when my son passed away,” Chong Lue Lee said. “But we wished they could do more to prevent the loss of the other four lives.”

“We wish there would be 24-hour supervision for the mother and the children because of the father, because of what happened to him,” the elder Lee told a local TV station. “In a short time, less than three hours, the police release the mother and kids, and then in that three hours, a thing happened to those children. So wouldn’t it be better for there to be 24-hour supervision after such [a] tragedy happened to their loved one?”

Leaders in the close-knit Hmong community spoke with 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS Monday, explaining they are counseling not only the victims’ families but also Hmong families throughout the Twin Cities.

“Right now, the community is still in shock mode,” said Paul Xiong with the Hmong 18 Council of Minnesota. “This would be the second time this happened in the community.”

The Hmong 18 Council was formed more than 20 years ago when a Hmong mother killed her children.

The Hmong 18 Council of Minnesota along with family and community members will hold a candlelight vigil at Vadnais Lake Saturday, July 9 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Family members of Lee and Cheng have set up a fundraiser on GoFundMe to help defray funeral expenses.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

New video shows Asian American teen had hands up in the air when he was fatally shot by police

SCREEN CAPTURE

Newly released video shows Christian Hall had his hands in the air when he was fatally shot.

Almost a year after he was shot to death by police, friends, family and supporters rallied Saturday for Christian Hall, a Chinese American teenager after a just-released video showed he had his hands in the air before police opened fire.

"Today marks 332 days that I have not seen my son,"  his Filipino American mother, Fe Hall, told the rally. "His death should not be in vain."

Hall was adopted and brought to the U.S. from China by his his parents when he was an infant. 

Christian Hall called 911 claiming that someone on a highway overpass n Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania had a gun and was threatening to commit suicide, according to police records.

Police responded and tried to have Christian Hall, who was experiencing a mental health crises, to put down his gun, which he held pointing up. For 90 minutes, police tried to get Hall to drop his weapon.

FAMILY PHOTO

Christian Hall, center, flanked by his parents.

The new video shows Christian Hall was standing still, with his hands still raised and his gun pointed up when 10 police officers opened Dec. 30 2020, according to a previously unseen video obtained by attorneys representing his family.

The new video, which was first broadcast by NBC and Spotlight PA, contradicts previous statements made by the Monroe County Office of the District Attorney that “Hall advanced towards police pointing his gun at them."

Based on officers' claims, the DA’s office stated in March the use of deadly force was justified. The teenager's weapon turned out to be a pellet gun that resembled a real pistol.

Devon Jacob, an attorney who represents Hall’s family, stated that the unedited video “definitively establishes that both stories are false,” and that “Christian was shot in direct response to an order that ‘If he doesn’t drop it, take him.’”

Hall's family is asking for an independent investigation. He should be here today,” Hall’s aunt Nicole Henriquez told BuzzFeed News on Thursday. “And I just feel there was a complete disregard, because of who he was racially.”

Earlier this month in East Stroudsburg, the same Pennsylvania town where Hall was killed, Daniel Koltun, who is white, fired a pellet gun at officers, who did not shoot back, according to the Pocono Record.

“This case absolutely needs an independent, unbiased investigation run by an agency not directly related to the case,” said state Rep. Maureen Madden in a statement. “Whether that’s Attorney General Josh Shapiro or even the FBI, the people involved deserve facts.”

“The refusal of the Monroe County DA’s office to refer the case, coupled with the release of the video that authorities previously blurred, is troubling and presents a real conflict,” the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus said Friday.

"We're doing this to have those who need to be accountable, be made accountable. So that there will be change," Fe Hall said to ABC News. "That cases like this, where there are killings that involve the police, there has to be an unbiased, independent investigation right away. That law has to be changed."

Naomi Osaka cries during press conference

SCREEN CAPTURE

Naomi Osaka struggles with her emotions during a press conference.

OPINION

I get it: Sometimes journalists have to be aggressive to get an answer, a revealing quote, or to get a subject to respond; but, you don't have to be an ass.

Almost three months after she left the French Open to avoid taking part in post-match press conferences and needed a "mental health" break, the 23-year old Japanese American began meeting the media during the Olympics. 

Apparently, the tennis star is still struggling with her emotions and her mental health as evidenced by her press conference Monday before the Western & Southern Open, when Osaka broke into tears after persistent questioning from a reporter.

“You're not crazy about dealing with us, especially in this format,” Paul Daugherty of the Cincinnati Enquirer began, before wondering how the defending US Open champion balances outside interests that are “served by a media platform.”

“When you say I’m not crazy about dealing with you guys, what does that refer to?” Osaka replied, according to the New York Times.

The reporter, The Cincinnati Enquirer’s Paul Daugherty, repeated his question: “Well, you’ve said you don’t especially like the news conference format, yet that seems to be obviously the most widely used means of communicating to the media and through the media to the public.”

“I would say the occasion, when to do the press conferences is what I feel is the most difficult,” said the No. 2-ranked Osaka, before pausing. “I’m actually very interested in that point of view.

“For me I feel this is something I can’t really speak for everybody, I can only speak for myself. But ever since I was younger, I’ve had a lot of media interest on me, and I think it’s because of my background as well as how I play.

“Because in the first place I’m a tennis player, which is why a lot of people are interested in me. So I would say in that regard I’m quite different to a lot of people, and I can’t really help that there are some things I tweet or say that create a lot of news articles or things like that.

“But I would also say, I’m not really sure how to balance it too, I’m figuring it out at the same time as you are, I would say.”

After giving that response, Osaka then began struggling for composure before breaking down as the next question by another reporter was being asked. The moderator called a break and Osaka left the to compose herself, before returning and answering one further question in English and several in Japanese.

Osaka’s agent Stuart Duguid condemned Daugherty’s line of questioning in a prepared statement.

“The bully at the Cincinnati Enquirer is the epitome of why player/media relations are so fraught right now,” said Duguid. “Everyone on that Zoom will agree that his tone was all wrong and his sole purpose was to intimidate. Really appalling behaviour,” he said.

“And this insinuation that Naomi owes her off-court success to the media is a myth – don’t be so self-indulgent.”

Reading the words on a page is one thing, but when you listen to the exchange, there was a tone in the reporter's questioning that New York Times tennis writer Ben Rothenberg, the press conference was gong smoothly until Daugherty's offered “a fairly aggressively toned question about how she benefits from a high-media profile but doesn’t like talking to media.”

To her credit, after five minutes, Osaka returned to finish answering questions in English and Japanese.

As a newspaper editor, I've seen some reporters revel in what they say is being aggressive. Some of them were not very nice people and they were proud that their subjects feared them., hoping that they would get the subject to stumble or reveal something new. There's a fine line between being persistent and being an ass. Unfortunately, management often favored and rewarded what ordinary people would call rude behavior.

Considering Osaka's the fragile nature of Osaka's mental health, the questioner could have couched his question in a less accusatory tone. Journalists should consider the context of tennis in the context of world events. She's only a tennis player, not a politician with power and influence over so many lives or a CEO spending billions of dollars. Save the hard questioning for those people who deserve to be put on the spot.

“We appreciate the respectful dialogue with Ms. Osaka at the press conference,” the executive editor of The Cincinnati Enquirer, Beryl Love, said in a statement. “It was a straightforward question that we feel led to a meaningful exchange. That said, we sincerely regret that our questioning upset her in any way.”

Aggressive reporting? or just being an ass? 

A word of caution: This is news laced with my opinion. Readers are encouraged to read multiple sources to form their own opinions.

Naomi Osaka's essay in Time magazine sends ripples through media and sports world

Tennis star Naomi Osaka's decision to withdraw from the French Open and Wimbledon continues to send ripples beyond the world of international tennis tournaments. 

Her essay, "It's OK to Not Be OK," in Time magazine on the stands Thursday (July 8) has moved mental health issues away from the whispers and uncomfortable acknowledgements and into the national spotlight.

The four-time Grand Slam winner and No. 2-ranked tennis player in the world  explained in her essay why she declined to attend a press conference at the French Open and the backlash and support she received from her action.

The 23-year old Japanese American also revealed that after her mental health break she is ready to return to competitive tennis including representing Japan at the Tokyo Olympics.

“An Olympic Games itself is special," Osaka wrote, "but to have the opportunity to play in front of the Japanese fans is a dream come true. I hope I can make them proud,” 

READ the entire Time essay here.

Osaka wrote that she is thankful for the support she received from former First Lady Michelle Obama, Olympian Michael Phelps, NBA star Steph Curry, Meghan Markle and more for making her mental health a priority over the financial reward of winning a tournament or the personal discomfort of having to face the press, especially in the format of a traditional press conference.

The tennis player, who competes for Japan where she was born, also clarified that her decision not to speak with press at the French Open was not an iindictment of the media in general, but the press conferences format.

“I have always enjoyed an amazing relationship with the media and have given numerous in-depth, one-on-one interviews,” she wrote for Time. “... However, in my opinion ... the press conference format itself is out of date and in great need of a refresh. I believe that we can make it better, more interesting and more enjoyable for each side. Less subject vs. object; more peer to peer.”

“Athletes are humans. Tennis is our privileged profession, and of course there are commitments off the court that coincide,” she wrote. “But I can’t imagine another profession where a consistent attendance record (I have missed one press conference in my seven years on tour) would be so harshly scrutinized.”

For refusing to speak to the press at the French Open, she was penalized $15,000 and threatened with further penalties if she doesn't take part in the after-match press conferences. Rather than continue to be penalized and criticized, she felt it better to simply withdraw.

Athletes are not questioned when they stop competing when they have a physical injury like a sprained nuscle or broken limb. A mental health break should be viewed in the same manner. Osaka suggested that athletes be given a number of personal days from their public lives. In her seven-year career, she has missed only one press conference, she said.  

"I do not wish that on anyone and hope that we can enact measures to protect athletes, especially the fragile ones,” she continued in her essay.

Texas Bangladeshi family of six found dead in apparent murder-suicide

The Towhid family was found dead in their Texas home.

Police found Monday the bodies of an entire Bangladeshi American family inside their home in Allen, Texas. They were killed in an apparent murder-suicide pact made by two brothers.

Investigators say two brothers, Farhan Towhid, 19, and Tanvir Towhid, 21, killed their family before turning the gun on themselves.

The Allen Police Department identified the dead as father Towhidul Islam, 54; mother Iren Islam, 56; grandmother Altafun Nessa, 77; sister Farbin Towhid and the two brothers.

Based on the condition of the bodies, authorities believe the killings happened sometime Saturday.

A friend of one of the brothers expressed his concern to police Monday morning. Farhan Towhid left a suicide note on his Instagram account. In his rambling post, Farhan expressed that he had been battling depression since 9th grade.

In his note, he mentioned an agreement he had with his older brother. “If we can’t fix everything in a year, we’ll kill ourselves and our family,” he wrote.

He also wrote: "the only reason for existence is happiness," and that he shouldn’t live if he’s not happy.

According to Farhan's note, about his family, immigrants from Bangladesh, he said "they would spend the rest of their lives feeling guilt, despair...I could just do them a favor and take them with me."

The two boys were students at UT Austin. The sister had a full scholarship to NYU.

Farhan's last Instagram post indicates his older brother bought the gun used in the killings. Police say there were no previous records to indicate there was a problem within the family.

While it is a myth that the suicide rate among Asian Americans is higher that other Americans, among Asian Americans, suicide is the second leading cause of death for those 18-24 years old, according to the American Psychological Association.