A mother reportedly yelled for her three children to run before she was shot dead by her own husband, who later killed himself during a four-hour stand off with police.

Scott Sabia, 45, fired one shot inside his Carlstadt, New Jersey, home on Wednesday before his children fled, followed by their mother Michele Sabia, who made it to the front lawn before she was killed.

Scott then barricaded himself inside the home in a standoff that lasted until 10pm, when authorities found him dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, prosecutors said.

Scott Sabia, 45, (right) fatally shot his wife Michele Sabia (left) on Wednesday evening. Michele had reportedly told their three children, ages nine, 11 and 14, to run before she died

Scott then barricaded himself inside the home on Union Street in Carlstadt, New Jersey (pictured) in a standoff that lasted until 10pm, when authorities found him dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, prosecutors said

Scott fired one shot shortly after 6pm on Wednesday, and the couple's two younger children, ages 9 and 11, escaped out the front door to a neighbor's home,PIX11 reported.

Michele ran behind them, but was shot multiple times on the front lawn.

Their 14-year-old son, who had run out the back door, made his his way to the front lawn and tried to help his mother as Scott locked himself inside the home on Union Street.

Another neighbor Mickey Deleasa told PIX11 he called out to the boy, who was crying and bloodied from trying to help his mom, and kept him safe inside his house.

Police arrived at 6.19pm and found Michele dead at the scene.

Snipers positioned themselves atop neighboring homes and witnesses said they saw police using a bomb squad robot to assess the situation inside.

A SWAT team eventually entered the house and found Scott's body in the entryway next to a 12-gauge shotgun, authorities said.

All three children were unharmed in the murder-suicide.

Scott's cousin Geri Sabia said he suffered from depression. The couple had split up but recently reconciled, and kept guns because they were avid hunters, she added (pictured left, Scott Sabia, and right, Michele)

Scott's cousin Geri Sabia, 72, told NJ.com, 'He had problems. He had depression. He was working through it and I guess something just snapped.'

Scott, who listed he was 'separated' on his Facebook page, had recently reconciled with Michele after the two split up, according to his cousin.

She added that the couple were avid hunters who kept the guns for shooting turkeys and pheasants.

One neighbor, Michelle Hurley, claims she had seen bruises on Michele, and urged her to get help after the victim admitted to her that her husband had been violent, NorthJersey.com reported.

While Detective Sergeant John Cleary said police had responded to the home before, they had never been called for domestic violence.

Michele worked as a teacher at the Washington School in Rutherford while Scott was unemployed.

Superintendent Jack Hurley remembered the teacher as energetic and compassionate and issued a statement that read: 'We mourn the tragic loss of our colleague, teacher, and friend Michele Sabia.'

According to NJ.com, the couple filed for bankruptcy in 2013 and fell behind on paying their bills.

Scott, who often posted inspiring quotes and statistics about mental illness on his Facebook page, listed he received $1,174 for his disability each month.