Fatal shooting of University of South Carolina student who tried to enter wrong home 'justifiable,' police say
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."
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.
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.
The homeowners were awake, and calling the cops. Sounds like the kid was drunk to the point he wasn't engaging in conversation.
Not by all accounts. Specifically not by the accounts of the people who were inside the home that was getting broken into at 2am.
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.
Which is what they did, until the intruder broke into the home through the window.
You have a source on that? I've yet to see a reference to them attempting to communicate with anyone but 911.
As many sources that you have that say they didn't.
I can't find anything saying the couple wasn't high on meth so I guess it's safe to assume they were.
Yeah, that's basically what you're doing.