The homeowner who fatally shot a 20-year-old University of South Carolina student who tried to enter the wrong home on the street he lived on Saturday morning will not face charges because the incident was deemed “a justifiable homicide” under state law, Columbia police announced Wednesday.

Police said the identity of the homeowner who fired the gunshot that killed Nicholas Donofrio shortly before 2 a.m. Saturday will not be released because the police department and the Fifth Circuit Solicitor’s Office determined his actions were justified under the state’s controversial “castle doctrine” law, which holds that people can act in self-defense towards “intruders and attackers without fear of prosecution or civil action for acting in defense of themselves and others.”

  • @xxkickassjackxx@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    English
    91 year ago

    Bro banged on the door and broke a window to try to get in. He was literally forcefully entering a locked house, he didn’t just wander into an unlocked door by mistake.

    No telling what the kid was trying to do or would have done if he got in. Home owners have to assume the person trying to kick in the door and breaking a window is there to do harm. Justified self defense to anyone with two brain cells to rub together.

    • @legion02@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      121 year ago

      By all accounts he thought he was entering his own home, thought he was breaking his own windows, etc. Seems to me like a little more dialog and this kid’s still alive and a broken window is the worst part of the event. With castle doctrine laws the way they are mistakes and misunderstandings are much more likely to become fatal.

      • RoboRay
        link
        fedilink
        9
        edit-2
        1 year ago

        Not being allowed to defend yourself until the intruder finishes breaking in to your home and attacks you simply means self-defense isn’t allowed, because at that point you’re probably already dead.

      • @wahming
        link
        English
        51 year ago

        The homeowners were awake, and calling the cops. Sounds like the kid was drunk to the point he wasn’t engaging in conversation.

      • tider06
        link
        fedilink
        41 year ago

        Not by all accounts. Specifically not by the accounts of the people who were inside the home that was getting broken into at 2am.

        • @legion02@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          11 year ago

          In none of the accounts do they mention trying to speak with him before shooting. Just call 911 and wait with gun pointed towards door.

          • tider06
            link
            fedilink
            11 year ago

            Which is what they did, until the intruder broke into the home through the window.

            • @legion02@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              11 year ago

              You have a source on that? I’ve yet to see a reference to them attempting to communicate with anyone but 911.

              • tider06
                link
                fedilink
                11 year ago

                As many sources that you have that say that didn’t.