Man Kills 20-Year-Old Woman Who Mistakenly Pulled Into His Driveway

Hebron, NY – A 20-year-old woman was fatally shot in Upstate New York on Saturday night after she mistakenly turned into the wrong driveway.

Washington County Sheriff Jeffrey J. Murphy said at a press conference on Monday that Kaylin Gillis and three friends were lost in the rural area, unable to get directions because of a lack of cell phone service, The Washington Post reported.

That was when they pulled into the wrong driveway, the sheriff said.

The friends in the car with Gillis told investigators that they quickly “realized their mistake” and she quickly began backing out of the driveway, according to Sheriff Murphy.

But not fast enough.

Because 65-year-old Kevin Monahan came out onto his porch and immediately opened fire on the vehicle in his driveway, The Washington Post reported.

Sheriff Murphy said Monahan fired at least two shots, striking the young woman driving the vehicle.

He said none of the people in Gillis’ car had gotten out of the vehicle or even opened a car door when the shooting began.

Authorities have not yet revealed what kind of firearm the man was using, according to The Washington Post.

The sheriff said that one of Gillis’ friends took the wheel and they drove their wounded friend about six miles to the nearest town before they were able to get a phone signal to call 911, The New York Times reported.

He said that when the ambulance arrived, Gillis was pronounced dead at the scene.

When authorities went to Monahan’s home to arrest him, the suspect was uncooperative and a brief standoff ensued before he was taken into custody about an hour later, The New York Times reported.

“There was no reason for Mr. Monahan to feel threatened, especially as it appears the vehicle was leaving,” Sheriff Murphy said.

The sheriff condemned Monahan’s actions, The Washington Post reported.

“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 who decided to come out with a firearm and discharge it,” he said.

Sheriff Murphy called Gillis was “an innocent young girl” and said he knew her family personally, The Washington Post reported.

“She was… taken way too young,” he told reporters at the press conference.

The sheriff said Monahan was taken into custody and was being held at the local jail, The New York Times reported.

An attorney for Monahan, Kurt Mausert, said his client has owned a business in Saratoga County for 30 years, and has never been convicted of a crime.

“My preliminary view of this case is that it was a series of errors which resulted in a tragedy,” Mausert told The New York Times. “It is too soon to say more than that.”

Prosecutors filed murder charges against Monahan on Monday.

Critics have raised comparisons to a shooting that occurred in Kansas City, Missouri on Thursday when an 84-year-old man opened fire on a teenager who had gone to the wrong address to pick up his little brothers.

The incident occurred just before 10 p.m. on April 13 when 16-year-old Ralph Yarl went to a house in the 1100-block of Northeast 115th Street, instead of Northeast 115th Terrace, to pick up his 11-year-old twin brothers, NBC News reported.

Yarl told police he rang the doorbell and waited for someone to come to the door.

Clay County Prosecutor Zachary Thompson said 84-year-old Andrew Lester answered the door with a gun in his hand, KCTV reported.

Yarl told investigators he “was immediately shot in the head and fell to the ground.”

Then, “while on the ground, he was shot a second time in the arm,” KCTV reported.

Yarl told police that after the octogenarian shot him, Lester warned “Don’t come around here.”

The wounded 16 year old ran to three homes looking for help before he was able to find someone to call 911, KCTV reported.

He was transported to the hospital for treatment and remains hospitalized with serious wounds, NBC News reported.

Police took Lester into custody, KCTV reported.

On Monday, the Clay County prosecutor announced charges against Lester.

Thompson said that the 84 year old had been charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action, KCTV reported.

A warrant for Lester’s arrest was issued and bond was set at $200,000.