Teenager accused of killing groom shortly before wedding is arrested at Canadian border

A 17-year-old from Long Islandaccused of a fatal hit-and-run accident that killed a groom hours before his wedding in Harlem, New York City, was caught in Canadian border one day after the incident.
Connors was arrested while attempting to enter Canada without identification, which raised suspicions due to visible injuries. Canadian authorities noted that he had cuts and bruises on his face, a large bruise on his stomach, blood stains on his shirt, and was walking with a limp. A Canadian official identified Connors from photographs showing him fleeing the scene of the fatal crash.
The accident occurred on August 24 and involved a Chevrolet Silverado with an Ontario license plate, killed 38-year-old Kirk Walker just 38 hours before his wedding. Walker's cousin Rob McLaurin was also killed in the crash. Connors is accused of driving on the wrong side of the Henry Hudson Parkway in Upper Manhattan at around 2:20 a.m. and slamming his pickup truck into Walker and McLaurin's car.
“Very weak case”
Connors was later arrested in New York City and appeared in Manhattan Criminal Courtwhere his detention without bail was ordered.
The teenager's attorney, Jonathan Perez, said Connors pleaded not guilty, arguing that “he was neither involved nor the perpetrator.” Perez said he believes others may have been involved in the accident and called the case “very weak.” He also highlighted Connors' health problems, including autism and epilepsy, and said his client requires medication.
Perez further claimed that Connors, “a 17-year-old child,” may have been abused by others involved in the accident. He noted that Connors' role in the incident remains unclear.
The lawyer criticized police for questioning Connors without the presence of a lawyer, parent or guardian.
Connor's family reportedly traveled from overseas to support him.
“I should wear my wedding dress…”
Walker's fiancée Shauntea Weaver expressed her grief to the Post: “I should be wearing my wedding dress right now – not grieving.” She demanded that Connors be held accountable: “He killed two honest, good people … He recklessly took Kirk's life and ruined mine.”
Weaver added that Connor's arrest was just the first step toward justice for her fiancé. While his arrest was a relief, he stressed that the road to justice was still long. Weaver and Walker, a father of three from Manhattan, were planning to marry in New Jersey before the fatal crash.
Hearing on Monday
A detention hearing for Connors is scheduled for Monday. The district attorney plans to charge Connors as an adult, but his attorney intends to appeal that decision.