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Kaylin Gillis: GoFundMe for woman, 20, who was shot dead after entering wrong driveway raises over $40K

The 20-year-old Kaylin Gillis was reportedly struck by gunfire as Kevin Monahan fired two shots from his front porch, one of which hit the vehicle

HEBRON, NEW YORK: The family of Kaylin Gillis, who was shot and killed on Saturday, April 15, after she and three others accidentally pulled into the wrong address, has launched a fundraiser to cover expenses. The 20-year-old woman was reportedly struck by gunfire as a man fired two shots from his front porch, one of which hit the vehicle she was in.

Washington County Sheriff Jeffrey Murphy said in a press conference Monday, April 17, that the group was looking for a friend's house in rural upstate New York when the tragedy befell. 65-year-old Kevin Monahan has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with Kaylin's death. It is unclear whether the perpetrator has retained an attorney at this time.

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Poor cell phone reception

“It’s a very rural area with dirt roads. It’s easy to get lost. They drove up this driveway for a very short time, realized their mistake, and were leaving when Mr Monahan came out and fired two shots,” Murphy said at the Monday conference, noting that the area has poor cell phone service. Kaylin and the rest of the group drove away from the house after the shots were fired and called 911 as soon as they received cell phone service. Emergency crews responded to the group's location around 5 miles from the home in the nearby town of Salem and began administering CPR, but Kaylin was ultimately pronounced dead at the scene despite their best efforts.

According to Sheriff Murphy, officers later arrived at the home from which shots were fired and found Monahan to be uncooperative, saying he "refused to exit his residence to speak with police.” The suspect was eventually taken into custody hours later with assistance from the New York State Police Special Operations Response Team, per a news release from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. Murphy said no one is believed to have exited the car and that there was no interaction between Monahan and the group before shots were fired. “There was clearly no threat from anyone in the vehicle. There was no reason for Mr Monahan to feel threatened,” the sheriff said. “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 added.

Family launches GoFundMe campaign

"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," Kaylin's family wrote in a GoFundMe campaign that has raised over $42,000 of a $50,000 goal at the time of publication. "The dollars raised through this fund will go directly to the Gillis family for use toward Kaylin’s funeral expenses and any immediate financial needs. Again, thank you for your support of this incredible family. Your kindness, prayers, and love are felt by the Gillis family and everyone in the community that has suffered this tragic loss," the family added.

Kaylin's friends remembered her as a "wonderful, sweet, and thoughtful soul with a giving nature and artistic soul." One woman noted how the 20-year-old would light up the room with her infectious smile while another pal remembered how she loved feeding animals. She was a Schuylerville Central School District grad and even made the honor roll a couple of times, WNYT reported.