Kaylin Gillis: New York woman shot, killed after pulling into wrong driveway in Washington County
A woman who was in a car that pulled into the wrong driveway in upstate New York was shot and killed by the homeowner who fired at the vehicle.
Kaylin Gillis, 20, and three friends were on their way to a home in rural Washington County on Saturday when they accidentally pulled into Kevin Monahan’s driveway in Hebron.
Monahan, 65, fired two shots from his front porch at the car, according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, one that hit Gillis, who was still inside the vehicle.
“This is a very sad case of some young adults who were looking for a friend’s house and ended up with this man” said Sheriff Jeff Murphy on Monday.
Monahan has been charged with manslaughter.
A woman who was in a car that pulled into the wrong driveway in upstate New York on Saturday was shot and killed by the homeowner who fired at the vehicle without provocation
Kaylin Gillis, 20, and three friends were on their way to a home in rural Washington County when they accidentally entered the wrong dive site in Hebron, New York
Kevin Monahan, 65, fired two shots from his front porch at the car, according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, one that hit Gillis who was still inside the vehicle
During his press conference on Monday, Murphy spoke to a group of reporters and Gillis’ family.
The sheriff said the group did not initially realize they were at the wrong address, but retreated when the homeowner reportedly started shooting.
As they left the residence, once they determined they were at the wrong house, the subject came out on his porch, [and] for whatever reason and fired two shots. One that hit the vehicle Kaylin was in,” Murphy said.
Because of the incident in a rural area, the friends could not immediately call 112 for help.
The group had to drive miles to a nearby town to call first responders.
The Washington County sheriff said Monaham was taken into custody only after officers had “back and forth” with him.
“He was not cooperating with patrols on the ground. After talking back and forth for about more than an hour, he was taken into custody,” Murphy said.
The sheriff did not comment on the weapon used, but said investigators do not believe Monahan had any reason to believe he was in danger.
“There was no reason for Mr. Monahan to feel threatened, especially since it appears the vehicles were leaving at that time,” Murphy added.
He is currently being held at Warren County Jail.
The group had to drive miles to a nearby town to call first responders
‘I’m sure she comes from a good family. A very good family and I know them personally and she is a young girl who was taken way too young,” Sheriff Jeff Murphy said.
Friends remembered Gillis over the weekend as a gentle soul who loved animals
Friends remembered Gillis over the weekend as a gentle soul who loved animals.
‘I’m sure she comes from a good family. A very good family and I know them personally and she is a young girl who was taken far too young,” Murphy said.
‘Kaylin Gillis, you will be sorely missed,” Chuchay Stark wrote in a Facebook tribute.
“I’ve known you since your Barbie days with my kids. Since then you have remained a beautiful, sweet and loving person,” the post continued.
“You are still the sweetest and sweetest child I know. You love dogs, even though we all know that a certain dog was mean to you when you were younger,” Stark wrote.
“Kaylin, rest in peace, I’m sure Roxie Roo is standing next to you now as you look down on us. Thank you for all the fun memories you shared with me, Lipsha and Loren. I’m glad I had the pleasure of getting to know you,” the post concludes.
a GoFundMe has since been set up by friends to help cover funeral expenses.
The fundraiser has raised just over $38,000 of its $50,000 goal as of Monday.
‘What a terrible tragedy. My deepest condolences,” wrote one person who donated.
“I remember Kaylin from when she was a toddler hanging out with us at our sleepovers. My thoughts are with the family,” another wrote.
“I am so terribly sorry to read this devastating news. This is the second GoFundMe donation made today by me to the families of young people who accidentally went to the wrong address. Enough,” said one commenter.
The person who donated was referring to the recent shooting of 16-year-old musician and scholar Ralph Yarl in Kansas City, Missouri on Thursday.
“Kaylin Gillis, you will be sorely missed,” friend Chuchay Stark wrote in a Facebook tribute
Since then, a GoFundMe has been started by friends to cover funeral costs
Ralph Yarl, 16, was shot twice in the head by a white man after accidentally approaching the wrong house when he went to pick up his siblings
Andrew Lester, 85, has been charged with two counts of the April 13 shooting of Ralph Yarl, which Kansas City prosecutors say was racially motivated
Clay County Prosecutor Zachary Thompson announced charges against Andrew Lester Monday afternoon
Ralph, center, was going to try to pick up his younger siblings from a friend’s house, but went to the wrong address
Yarl, a black teenager, was shot by an 85-year-old white homeowner whose doorbell rang after Yarl mistakenly mistook the house for the one where he was going to pick up his siblings.
Yarl was shot twice in the head, reportedly by local homeowner Andrew Lester through Lester’s locked door.
Lester has since been charged with first-degree assault.
“I can tell you there was a racial component to the case,” Clay County prosecutor Zachary Thompson said Monday.
Lester’s bond is set at $200,000. If convicted, he could face life in prison for the assault charge.