"I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her," her boyfriend said.
Trigger Warning: The following article has descriptions of gun violence which readers may find distressing.
The heartbroken boyfriend of the New York woman who was fatally shot after pulling into the wrong driveway is grieving her death and says his life was shattered. "I didn't want to be with anybody else, and I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her," 19-year-old Blake Walsh, told NBC News. Walsh had met Kaylin Gillis when he was a sophomore in high school. “My world was taken from me Saturday,” he added. He also told the outlet that he wants to attend the bond hearing of the accused. “I need to see who took my girlfriend away from me. I need to look at him,” he said.
A homeowner in Hebron, NY, identified as 65-year-old Kevin D. Monahan, killed 20-year-old Kaylin after her vehicle mistakenly pulled into his driveway. Her boyfriend of four years was in the same vehicle and witnessed the terrible tragedy.
“I want to believe it was instant. I’m hoping it was. I’m praying it was,” Blake Walsh, 19, said through tears.
— Yahoo News (@YahooNews) April 19, 2023
Boyfriend of woman killed in wrong driveway speaks out: https://t.co/SCNz3PRNzv pic.twitter.com/rjB1cd63gd
Four friends pulled into the Monahan's driveway thinking it was the address of a party to which they'd been invited. Walsh was in the Ford Explorer driving through the rural town of Hebron which is about 50 miles outside of Albany. "We didn't have any cell service to figure it out. As soon as we figured it out that we were at the wrong location, we started to leave, and that's when everything happened," he said.
"My friend said, 'They're shooting — go!' I tried to step on the gas as fast as I could, and that's when the fatal shot came through," the teen said.
His girlfriend was shot in the neck and was later pronounced dead by medical staff. "I want the world to know how good of a person she really was and how much she impacted everybody who had the fortunate opportunity to be in her life," he shared.
The father of Kaylin Gillis, the 20-year-old woman authorities say was shot dead when her SUV pulled into the wrong driveway, eviscerated his daughter’s accused killer at a press conference Wednesday, saying he hopes the suspect “dies in jail.” https://t.co/AybNrK62eB
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) April 19, 2023
Monahan has been charged with second-degree murder and has pleaded not guilty. Gillis' family is utterly devasted by her shocking death. "My daughter was an honor student. She had hopes and dreams of becoming … a Marine biologist and this man took that away from her," Andrew Gillis, Kaylin's father, told CBS News on Wednesday, April 19. "(It) angers me so badly," he added. "I just hope to God that he dies in jail."
A GoFundMe page has been set up for the victim's family and funeral expenses and so far has raised nearly $140,000 so far. "On behalf of the Gillis family, we would like to thank everyone who has offered their love and prayers as they embark on this incredibly difficult journey of grief and healing," the fundraiser reads adding that the money "will go directly to the Gillis family for use toward Kaylin’s funeral expenses and any immediate financial needs." They also plan to "set up a scholarship in her memory." The family is grateful for the community's "kindness, prayers, and love" as they navigate through this shocking tragedy.
Boyfriend of Kaylin Gillis in NY recalls her final moments. This is so heartbreaking. God Bless family and friends. R.I.P. Kaylin Gillis. ✨ https://t.co/celTRaNpSs
— CJ4America (@GrammyC4Zone) April 19, 2023
References:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/kaylin-gillis
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kaylin-gillis-kevin-monahan-woman-killed-wrong-driveway/
Cover Image Source: GoFundMe
