Woman accused in shooting death of friend at gathering faces judge in Hickory

HICKORY, N.C. — Cheyenne Kenniston, 20, faced a judge Wednesday morning after being charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of 17-year-old Katyln Michelle Wittcop.

Kenniston said very little in court.

Eyewitness News reporter Dave Faherty was in the courtroom and saw Wittcop's family members wearing buttons and shirts with her picture on them.

Police said Kenniston shot and killed her friend, Wittcop, after they gathered at the teenager's home with friends.

(Cheyenne Kenniston)

Witness Jalen Roberts said he was at the party when the shooting happened.

He said Kenniston was playing with her gun, but he didn't know it was loaded.

"I didn't for sure. I would have told her to put it down or I would have took it,” Roberts said. "She considered me as her brother and I considered her as my little sister.”

The Hickory Police Department began the investigation after responding to a shooting on 13th Avenue on June 28.

Upon arrival, officers said they found Wittcopp suffering from a gunshot wound.

Officers said during the incident, a known suspect discharged a firearm and hit Wittcop, resulting in her death.

"There's repercussions in everything you do,” said Melinda Wittcop, Katyln’s mother. “There's repercussions in behavior. Her behavior took a life."

Melinda Wittcop told Channel 9 the shirts and buttons she now wears are in support of her daughter.

She and Roberts said Katyln never touched the gun.

"I can forgive. God forgives me daily. I'm nobody's judge,” Wittcop said. “I just think if you take someone's life, you shouldn't be sitting at home."

Kenniston's father told Channel 9 he believes the shooting was an accident.

"Terrible. Really, no words to describe it. Seventeen-year-olds with a gun, playing with it. Don't make sense," neighbor Nick Chapman said.

Family members of the victim told Channel 9 there is cellphone video from the night of the shooting showing people playing with a handgun in the moments leading up to her death.

"There's repercussions in everything that you do, there's repercussions in behavior. Her behavior took a life. Her behavior took my daughter from me," said Wittcop's mother.

"At first, I didn't believe it,” Joshaerie Ikard said. “The dude I know who was up there, I knew he had a gun, but I never saw him playing with it because every time I go up there, they don't play like that."

Multiple people were present during the incident, and police said they are conducting interviews.

Kenniston is being held in jail on a $100,000 bond and is due back in court in November.

Check back with wsoctv.com for more information. 

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