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A 20-year-old woman with dreams of becoming a marine biologist was fatally shot by a homeowner Saturday when the car she was in turned into the wrong driveway in upstate New York.
Kaylin Gillis’ death, which occurred days after 16-year-old Ralph Yarl was shot and seriously injured after ringing the wrong doorbell in Kansas City, has sparked a national conversation around gun violence and “stand your ground” laws according to which a would-be shooter defending life or property does not have to retreat before taking violent action.
On Tuesday, an attorney for the suspect in Gillis’ death spoke about the incident for the first time, saying his client « did not intend to hurt anyone. » However, questions remain around why the suspect, Kevin Monahan, allegedly opened fire.What happened?
Gillis’ friend pulled into the driveway of a home that they mistakenly believed belonged to another friend, authorities said.
Monahan, 65, is alleged to have fired at the car from his porch after the group of four friends realized they’d pulled into the wrong driveway and were leaving the home in Hebron, roughly 50 miles north of Albany, Washington County Sheriff Jeffrey Murphy told reporters.
Two shots were fired, one striking Gillis, who was sitting in the passenger seat, according to authorities.
« This is a very sad case of some young adults that were looking for a friend’s house and ended up at this man’s house, » Murphy said.
The area where Gillis was shot is rural, with little cellphone or internet service. Her friends drove a few miles away to call 911, the sheriff said.
Gillis was pronounced dead several miles southeast of the home on Paterson Hill Road, where shots were fired.Who was Kaylin Gillis?
Gillis graduated in 2021 from Schuylerville High School. The school’s varsity cheerleading team posted a tribute on Facebook that included photos of Gillis during her time on the squad.
