New York man pleads guilty in unintentional fatal shooting of Boise State student
A man accused of unintentionally shooting and killing a Boise State student last August has pleaded guilty to the crime.
Kyle Kelly, 21, pleaded guilty to one felony count of involuntary manslaughter during a Thursday court hearing in Boise, according to online court records.
Kelly — a resident of Hampton Bays, New York — was charged in July with the felony almost a year after the death of 22-year-old Robert “Bobby” Skinner, who police say died from an unintentional gunshot wound on Aug. 23, 2019.
Idaho police were dispatched at around 2:45 a.m. that day to a house on the 900 block of West Belmont Street, and officers arrived to find Skinner with a “life-threatening gunshot wound,” according to a news release from the Boise Police Department announcing Kelly’s arrest.
Despite their efforts, Skinner died at the scene. Police later said that the gunshot wound was not self-inflicted, but the shooting was thought to be unintentional. Skinner was from Seattle and was a member of the Boise State Hockey Club.
A criminal complaint was filed against Kelly in July and a warrant was issued for his arrest. He turned himself in and was booked into the Ada County Jail on July 30. He was later released after posting a surety bond amount of $150,000.
Kelly pleaded guilty Thursday during a hearing held online, according to court records. His next court date will be for his sentencing, which is scheduled to take place on Dec. 31 in Boise.
The involuntary manslaughter charge carries a maximum term of up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of up to $10,000.
