The homeowner who fatally shot 20-year-old Nicholas Donofrio will not face charges due to the state's "castle doctrine" law, Columbia Police announced Wednesday.

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.”

  • FlowVoid@midwest.socialEnglish
    123·
    10 months ago

    He did more than make noise:

    While the woman was on the phone with police, Donofrio broke a glass window on the front door "and reached inside to manipulate the doorknob," at which point the male resident fired the shot through the broken window

    Regardless of what you think about gun laws, I think the resident had good reason to be concerned for his safety.

    • ghost_of_faso2
      1·
      10 months ago

      breaking a window to unlock your own door, from his POV shouldnt be a crime worth getting killed over

      if the guy was brandishing a weapon or directly threatining them it makes sense, but in reality if the person on the other side of the door didnt have a gun all that happens next is the drunk guy going ‘oh shit sorry’