Trial ordered in LV slaying

With his head bowed and hands bound by shackles, Calvin Kirklin wept Wednesday as his friend described the shooting that killed a 39-year-old mother of two.

The friend, Jabriel Fernandez, said at a court hearing that Kirklin accidentally fired a handgun into a nearby vehicle and never meant to kill Blanca Gonzalez.

"He was shocked. He had no idea it would happen," said the 23-year-old Fernandez.

Fernandez wasn't alone. Kirklin's mother, who attended the hearing but didn't testify, said her son never meant to hurt anyone.

"He's not some cold-blooded killer," said Shauna Kirklin. "I do believe this is a terrible, tragic accident. I can't believe anything otherwise."

She added that her son wasn't involved in gangs.

At the end of the hearing, Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Tony Abbatangelo ruled that there is enough evidence to send Kirklin to District Court, where he will face trial.

Kirklin is behind bars facing one count of murder and several other charges related to the shooting.

During the hearing, Fernandez revealed new information about the shooting. Fernandez said he had been drinking with Kirklin, Kirklin's girlfriend and another man for more than 10 hours before the March 28 shooting. Kirklin's 1-year-old son was also there. At some point, they all left Fernandez' residence near Tropicana Avenue and Mountain Vista Street and began driving around.

While near Nellis and Charleston boulevards, Kirklin, who was driving and had a handgun, fired a round into the air but didn't strike anyone, Fernandez said.

At the intersection of the two streets, Kirklin, 20, stopped at a traffic light. Gonzalez, who was in an SUV with her two children, was stopped next to his car. Kirklin pointed the gun at the passenger side of his Buick Regal and the gun discharged, Fernandez said.

"He wasn't pointing it at anybody," he said.

Fernandez said Kirklin was shocked when the gun discharged. Fernandez said he told Kirklin that he shot a woman and to drive away. As they drove off, Kirklin repeatedly said he didn't want the gun to go off, Fernandez said.

Kirklin's attorney, Deputy Public Defender Joe Abood, maintained that the shooting was a "tragic accident -- but an accident nonetheless."

But county prosecutor Marc DiGiacomo picked apart Fernandez' testimony. Fernandez previously told investigators that he was with Kirklin and another man the day before the shooting but Wednesday said he couldn't remember if they were together.

Larry Hanna, a Las Vegas police detective, also testified that after police took Kirklin into custody, he changed his story several times. He eventually told police he was heavily intoxicated and accidentally fired the gun, according to a police report.

Cristian Basurto, Gonzalez' 15-year-old son, said after the hearing that even if Kirklin doesn't serve any time, "there's a guy up there who's going to watch what they do and eventually they're going to get what they deserve."

He said whether the shooting was intentional is beside the point.

"I just lost my mom," he said. "To me, it doesn't matter if it was an accident or not."

Contact reporter David Kihara at dkihara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039.