New York woman shot at wrong home recalled as ‘bright light’
- Kaylin Gillis was fatally shot by a homeowner in New York
- Police said there was no provocation or threat beforehand
- The 20-year-old is being remembered as a kind person who loved art
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(NewsNation) — As police and prosecutors continue to investigate the shooting of a 20-year-old woman in upstate New York, tributes are pouring in from those who knew her are sharing their memories.
Kaylin Gillis was shot and killed after she and her friends mistakenly found themselves at the wrong home in the town of Hebron, roughly 55 miles north of Albany, according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
The property owner, 65-year-old Kevin Monahan, allegedly opened fire on the group’s vehicle without any provocation. He has since been arrested and charged.
Gregg Barthelmas, the superintendent of the school district Gillis attended as a child, said Tuesday on “Banfield” that the young woman was an avid, talented artist and a “bright light.”
“(She was) a compassionate, loving person who put smiles on people’s faces, and she was an all-around great kid from an all around great family,” Barthelmas said.
Gillis graduated just two years ago from Schuylerville High School.
Katie Elsworth, principal of Schuylerville Middle School, said Gillis “cared about everyone around her,” NewsNation affiliate WTEN-TV reported.
“That just demonstrates the type of student she was, the person she was,” Elsworth said, “and the loss that this entire community will feel.”
Gillis family said in a statement she was looking forward to starting college in Florida to pursue her dream of becoming a marine biologist.
“She was taken from us far too soon, and we are devastated,” the family said. “Our family will never be the same but we will be guided by Kaylin’s positivity, optimism, and joy as we learn to live with her loss.”
Washington County Sheriff Jeff Murphy told NewsNation there was no apparent provocation before the shooting, and in fact, the car was being driven away when the group was shot at.
“That is definitely a key point in this case,” Murphy said. “There certainly wasn’t any threatening behavior on behalf of the occupants in the vehicles that would have made Mr. Monahan fear for his safety or his life.”
Gillis was fatally injured, according to authorities, and her friends could not immediately call 911 as the area has spotty cellphone service. The group had to drive to a nearby town to call for help.
Monahan has been charged with second-degree murder and was being held in a county jail.
NewsNation affiliate WTEN-TV contributed to this report.
