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.”

    • Silverseren@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      So, defending yourself is only valid once you’re actually in the process of being killed? A bit too late at that point. Someone physically breaking into your home is a valid reason to use force in response.

      • Touching_Grass@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        A bit too late at the imaginary non event in your head?

        But the definition of threat is what you described. It is a threat against your life which this was not and its why this is tragic because failing to assess caused an unnecessary death.

        • Silverseren@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          So, again, someone physically breaking open your door, who has unknown weapons themselves including a potential gun, should be something you do nothing about? Just let them in and hope they don’t mean to kill you?