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.”

  • crimsdings@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I am sorry but … if I am at home with my wife and kids and drunk stranger aggressively bangs and kicks the door, doesn’t stop when asked, smashes a window and reaches in to get in - I will probably also have my gun ready if the police doesn’t show up fast enough. Some people get super aggressive when drunk - some get confused and silly. There is definitely a difference.

    Not American, I live in Europe. No I am not right wing.

    • SheeEttin@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      None of the articles I’ve seen have said whether the residents said anything before shooting. If they didn’t, they absolutely should have.

      • crimsdings@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        I just assumed that’s something a normal person would do after reading they also called 911 already. Might be wrong information tho.

    • naeap@sopuli.xyz
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      1 year ago

      Yeah, because drunk, unarmed people are such a threat, that you have to just shoot him.

      As if in every other country we don’t have drunks…

      Especially drunk people are mostly no threat. Even my grandma always said “oh, a drunk man has no strength”

      It kinda sounds hyped up and hysterical from the outside, to be honest

      Edit: ah, missed that you aren’t from the US. but still, you would shoot a drunk guy, just because you feel threatened?
      There are so many possibilities to defend yourself, I can’t see a gun to be necessary - or even justified

      • crimsdings@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        As explained - there ar silly drunks and very aggressive drunks. The chance of this happening here is absolutely non existent and very theoretical. But yes if a very aggressive drunk is forcing his way into my home and not reacting to warnings and I determine him to be a threat to me or my family I totally would shoot him to protect my family - no question. Armed or not - - if he poses a threat the idea is not to be on the same level as him and fight fair …

        If it’s just a silly non threatening drunk we can’t even see straight and poses no threat obviously not. This situation is not as easy as my fellow Europeans make it out to be - guess it’s just easier to flame the US.

      • Stumblinbear
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        1 year ago

        you would shoot a drunk guy, just because you feel threatened?

        ftfu

        How am I supposed to know if someone is drunk or not?