On March 26, 2025, the Lebanon County Regional Police Department and Lebanon County Detective Bureau filed charges against Darrell Long, age sixty-two (62), for Aggravated Assault (F1), Aggravated Assault (F2), Burglary (F1), and Harassment.   All charges stem from an incident the evening prior wherein Long broke into his ex-wife’s residence.  Long then attacked and shot his former spouse multiple times before he turned himself into police custody.  Long was arraigned by Magisterial District Justice Anthony Verna and is held without bail pending his Preliminary Hearing.

At approximately 5:17 pm the victim, Dawn Long, called 911.  She indicated her ex-husband, Darrell Long, entered into her residence without invitation or permission as she napped.  LONG struck the victim in her head with a firearm before he shot her multiple times.  The victim told 911 the Defendant then fled the residence. 

Police and ambulance personnel responded.  The victim was transported to the Hershey Medical Center.  Medical staff treated the victim for multiple gunshot wounds to her extremities.  The victim remains in stable condition. 

The Lebanon County Regional Police Department and Lebanon County Detective Bureau processed the crime scene.  Police collected four (4) shell cases of a .22 caliber.  Evidence therefore reveals LONG fired at least four (4) gunshots towards the victim inside her home. 

LONG turned himself into police custody within hours of the shooting.  When interviewed, LONG confessed he entered his ex-wife’s residence without her permission.  LONG admitted he possessed a .22 caliber handgun.  LONG confessed he struck the victim in her head with the firearm as she lay on the couch.  The victim fought back.  Both LONG and the victim fell to the ground.  Long confessed he shot the victim multiple times.  The victim fled to her bedroom and he fled the home. 

Police interviewed the victim and her adult child at the hospital.  The interviews revealed prior to the shooting, Dawn Long blocked the Defendant from any electronic communications with her cellular device.  The Defendant began to send messages intended for her to their adult child.  The victims stated the adult child would then forward said messages, from the Defendant, to Dawn Long for review.  She attempted to document these messages via screenshots. 

In one message to the adult child, the Defendant referenced he had a direct line of sight into the victims’ residence.  The Defendant then sent the final message to their adult child eighteen (18) minutes after the shooting was reported to 911.  Police documented the final message which appeared to be for the ex-wife herself.  

The final message from the Defendant reads as follows “Here’s the deal you get the house I gave you the cars no alimony your child support.  I’m going to court Friday.  I lost my fucking job.  A good job.  I have nothing you still control everything now life for a life.  I take my life you live your life fucked up how’s it fucking feel? I’m a fucking human being.  You treat me less than human being.  I have no say I have no nothing.  I can’t move on you move on you have all my shit you have 60 years of my fucking life.  Well guess what now I’m in charge.  I’ll end my life now.  You get to walk around every fucking time you cripple you get to remember me how’s it fucking feel there’s all could have been avoided, but you want to be a fucking Cunt guess what reap you so bitch You have no honor you have no humility.  You have no dignity you took everything from me and treat me like I’m a fucking dog well guess what every dog has its day later / The gun is Danny’s my nephew.  I stole it out of his truck.”

A review of Court filings indicates the location of the shooting was the martial residence.  The parties separated and formally divorced in October of 2023.  The Defendant admitted during questioning he had no legal right to enter the residence.

“Last night’s shooting represents a terrifying instance of domestic violence.  The Defendant broke into his ex-wife’s home with the sole intent of causing her terror and physical pain.  The Defendant purposely shot the victim in a way to maim her and cause her to suffer for the rest of her life – a daily reminder of his brutal attack.  We are thankful the victim survived and for the efforts of the Lebanon County Regional Police Department and our County Detectives in arresting and charging the Defendant,” said District Attorney Pier Hess Graf.