Police say the fatal shooting of University of South Carolina junior Nicholas Donofrio was justified because the shooter was protecting his property, as more information is released about last week’s burglary that left the 20-year-old dead.
The Columbia Police Department said no one would be charged in the early morning shooting after it received a report of a burglary followed by a call of shots fired, and found Donofrio dead of a gunshot wound to the upper body on the home’s front porch. .
“After consulting with the Fifth Circuit Solicitor’s Office regarding the circumstances of last weekend’s fatal shooting on South Holly Street, charges will not be filed against the homeowner,” the Columbia Police Department said in a press release Wednesday.
Law enforcement and the attorney’s office called the shooting a “justifiable homicide” because the homeowners were protecting their property, which is allowed under South Carolina law.
Because no charges will be filed, the identities of the two homeowners will not be released, according to police.
The incident began in the early morning hours of August 26, when police received a call shortly before 2 a.m. from the female owner of a South Holly Street home about someone trying to break into her home.
Nicholas Donofrio was shot and killed after he tried to enter the wrong house in Columbia, South Carolina, last weekend.LinkedIn
Because no charges will be filed, the identities of the two homeowners will not be released, according to police. Courtesy of the Donofrio Family
It was determined that Donofrio “mistakenly went to the wrong house and attempted to enter by repeatedly knocking, stomping, and kicking the front door while manipulating the door handle.”
As Donofrio tried to get into the house, the woman called 911 and the male owner “went to another area of the house to get a firearm.”
Donofrio managed to break the glass window of the front door and reach inside to “manipulate the doorknob,” which caused the male owner to fire a bullet through the window, hitting the 20-year-old student.
The homeowner is allowed to have a gun, which he legally owns, as a means of protecting himself and his property.
Donofrio managed to break the glass window of the front door and reach inside to “manipulate the doorknob,” which caused the male owner to fire a single bullet through the window, striking the 20-year-old in the upper body. WLTX/YouTube
During the initial investigation, police revealed Donofrio lived on the same street as the house he tried to break into.
The Connecticut native had moved in with four of his friends down the road a week earlier with the help of his parents.
Police are awaiting Donofrio’s toxicology report from the county coroner’s office to determine the “type and extent of his impairment,” the statement said.
The Connecticut native had moved in with four of his friends down the street a week earlier with the help of his parents.Facebook
Prior to attending USC, Donofrio lived in Madison, Connecticut, where he attended Daniel Hand High School, playing both baseball and basketball before graduating to attend the University of New England, where he was an athlete on the men’s basketball team for his first season in 2021-2022.
He transferred last year to the South Carolina school, where he studied kinesiology and exercise science, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Donofrio was remembered as “a great son, loving, caring, all the qualities you want in a son,” his parents, who did not want to be named, told WTNH.
Donofrio transferred in 2022 to the South Carolina school, where he studied kinesiology and exercise science. Courtesy of the Donofrio Family
Donofrio was remembered as “a great son, loving, caring, all the qualities you want in a son,” his parents, who did not want to be named, told WTNH.Courtesy of the Donofrio Family
Columbia’s police chief called the incident heartbreaking and said investigators are working to get all the information on the case.
“This is a heartbreaking case for all involved. Our lead investigator has been working diligently to gather all the facts surrounding this incident. He has also maintained contact with the Donofrio family throughout the investigation,” said Columbia Police Chief WH “Skip” Holbrook. “We at the Columbia Police Department offer our deepest condolences for their untold loss.”
Categories: Trending
Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
