"Just Shot My Girlfriend 17 Times": US Man Confesses To Police

A Pennsylvania man has confessed to police that he shot his teenage girlfriend 17 times at her home. Darion Abel, 27, is accused of opening fire at close range on 19-year-old Miranda Grimm-Gilarski until the gun was empty.

According to CBS News, testimony revealed that Abel, who was 20 at the time of the incident, told a police officer, "I just shot my girlfriend 17 times."

A Pittsburgh courtroom heard that Abel "opened fire on [the victim] at close range and did not stop shooting until the gun was empty."

The fatal incident occurred on November 17, 2018, when Abel kicked in Grimm-Gilarski's front door and began shooting in her living room.

Grimm-Gilarski's stepbrother, Codie Garth, testified that he was in a bedroom on the second floor when he heard her say, "No, Darion!" before hearing 17 shots in roughly 10 to 15 seconds.

The victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds, including to her eye and torso, and Abel reportedly continued firing even after she fell to the ground.

Abel later drove to the Munhall Police Department and approached Officer Jason Poniewaz, admitting to the killing.

He also informed the officer that the suspected weapon was on the front seat of his car, according to CBS News.

On Monday, prosecutors said the facts of the case are largely undisputed. The key question for the jury is whether Abel acted with the intent required for a first-degree murder conviction.

The defence has asked jurors to consider a verdict of "guilty but mentally ill," while the prosecution is seeking to hold Abel fully accountable, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Charged with homicide, burglary, and carrying a 9 mm pistol without a license in connection with the incident, Abel has been detained without bail for almost seven years. Since it was first planned for 2019, the trial has experienced several delays.

Over the course of their tumultuous one-year relationship, the couple had often assaulted one another, with the latest incident occurring on October 30, 2018, according to The New York Post.

The case is in the jurisdiction of Judge Thomas Flaherty. The trial is scheduled to resume on Tuesday morning. The jury will hear additional testimony from witnesses, ballistics, and video evidence.