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.”

  • ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    1 year ago

    Yes, it isn’t Fallujah. Your position is in the house. Either they know your there or they don’t. If they don’t and you yell your armed the odds are they leave. Or in this case it would have opened a dialogue that would prevent the murder.

    No but I don’t live in a closet either, I could be in the kitchen, the top of the stairs, the living room, the bedroom, etc, and he doesn’t necessarily need to know “oh I heard a noise from the left, let me wing a few shots that way.” Sure they could run away, or they could shoot at the source of the noise, and the only way to know is to take that chance. You’re welcome to take it, but I shouldn’t be forced to after he has forcibly gained entry to my house without permission by destroying a window. Imo “locks” count as a warning that you aren’t supposed to be in there, and bypassing them is ignoring warnings, be they verbal or nonverbal.

    You aren’t giving them this deed to your house.

    Right, just access to my family or pets for 11min average while I wait for the cops IF I remembered to take my phone to call them during my egress, egress I might add that requires me to either dive through my back glass door because I don’t have time to unlock it if I’m downstairs, or jump out of a second story window onto concrete if I’m upstairs. Sounds fun.

    No

    Yes.

    https://www.usacarry.com/warning-shots/

    https://gundigest.com/article/self-defense-warning-shots-good-idea/amp

    https://ccwsafe.com/resources/in-self-defense-episode-72-warning-shots-defensive-display-and-the-power-of-light/

    No it doesn’t. But I agree its a shame when innocent people die due to irresponsible gun owners

    Yes it does, and I’m glad you aren’t a gun owner because you would be an irresponsible one, advocating for unsafe practices and pretending you know what you’re talking about. Let me guess you think celebratory gunfire is safe too?

    Unarmed hand

    Nah pretty sure it had an arm attached.

    • Touching_Grass@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      but I shouldn’t be forced to after he has forcibly gained entry to my house without permission by destroying a window.

      When you’re killing someone, every step should always be taken to avoid having to kill. Otherwise this situation occurs. You shouldn’t kill innocent people and others shouldn’t be at greater risk at your perceived threats. Especially since it’s not just in the home that people open carry. It’d in stores, its in streets and traffic.

      Right, just access to my family or pets for 11min average while I wait for the cops

      All of that would prevent you from leaving. And standing ground would be reasonable. But that’s the point. If there’s a backdoor and you’re next to it. Get the fuck out. Just leave. You immediately survive and that is what self defense is all about. Sticking around to get into a gun fight is not self defense if you haven’t attempted any other measures to protect yourself.

      Yes

      Beg to differ.

      Its going to be location based. Been a lifelong gun owner and I’m tired of the church of self defense spreading the gospel of fear that you’re useless without a firearm to defend yourself. They’re fucking loons. Life isn’t that rough and you’re more likely to make a bad call like in the story above. Lucky the man in the story gave warning shots instead of firing on the criminals there.

      https://www.ctvnews.ca/mobile/canada/man-acquitted-of-firing-warning-shots-at-group-who-firebombed-home-1.1102114

      • ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        1 year ago

        When you’re killing someone, every step should always be taken to avoid having to kill.

        Took 'em. I call 'em “locks.”

        You shouldn’t kill innocent people and others shouldn’t be at greater risk at your perceived threats

        Agreed. Innocent. People caught red handed breaking and entering are no longer innocent. Innocence evaporates the second you force entry.

        Especially since it’s not just in the home that people open carry. It’d in stores, its in streets and traffic.

        Where the standard of defense is higher due to the other people having the right to be in those public places, unlike one’s home where the expectation is one of privacy and access controlled by the property owner or renter.

        If there’s a backdoor and you’re next to it. Get the fuck out. Just leave. You immediately survive and that is what self defense is all about. Sticking around to get into a gun fight is not self defense if you haven’t attempted any other measures to protect yourself.

        So, “Bye family, hope you survive, I’m diving through a glass door because I won’t have time to cross the room, get the key out, and unlock the deadbolt before he can get me. If you survive I’ll be in the hospital dealing with the injuries I caused myself to protect the guy who may kill you from the consequences of his own poor decisions.”

        Yeah right hoser, keep dreaming.

        Oof you are a gun owner who is willing to endanger others by shooting A) when you don’t “need” to and B) wildly, not aimed at the target, and with no way to know if the lady in the next appartment is in the trajectory? Jeez, stay in canada so I don’t have to worry about your irresponsible ass, your technique may work in the yukon but down here where other people exist that is illegal and runs the risk of you catching a murder 2 charge.

        You won’t convince me to commit crimes you know, sorry to spoil your fun. It may be legal in backwards ass canada but in the US it isn’t. Maybe Texas. Definitely not in my state, county, or city.