Charges won’t be filed in fatal shooting of college student who tried to enter wrong house

No fees will be filed in opposition to a house owner who shot and killed a 20-year-old University of South Carolina student who by chance tried to enter the wrong house in the street the place he lived and used to be unsuitable for a burglar, police mentioned Wednesday.

The Columbia, South Carolina, Police Department mentioned that once an investigation, and consulting with prosecutors from the Fifth Circuit Solicitor’s Office, the fatal shooting of Nicholas Anthony Donofrio early Saturday morning used to be deemed a “justifiable homicide.”

“This is a heartbreaking case for all involved,” Columbia Police Chief W.H. “Skip” Holbrook mentioned in a remark. “Our lead investigator has diligently worked to gather all the facts surrounding this incident. He has also maintained contact with the Donofrio family throughout the investigation. We at the Columbia Police Department extend our deepest condolences for their immeasurable loss.”

The determination no longer to fee the home-owner used to be in response to a number of elements, police mentioned, together with proof collected on the scene, a assessment of surveillance video that captured the moments ahead of the shooting, audio proof and witness statements.

The shooting opened up simply ahead of 2 a.m. Saturday in the street the place Donofrio had simply moved right into a fraternity house a few week previous, in accordance to police and a remark issued by means of Donofrio’s circle of relatives.

“CPD investigators determined that Donofrio, who resided on South Holly Street, mistakenly went to the wrong home and attempted to enter by repeatedly knocking, banging, and kicking at the front door while manipulating the door handle,” police mentioned in a remark.

As Donofrio used to be kicking the entrance door, a girl who lives on the house referred to as 911 whilst the home-owner went to retrieve a firearm, police mentioned.

“While the female was still on the phone with emergency dispatchers, Donofrio broke the front door glass window and reached in to manipulate the doorknob,” in accordance to the police remark. “At that time, the male resident fired a single shot through the broken door window striking Donofrio in the upper body.”

The incident used to be to start with reported as a housebreaking and upgraded to a photographs fired name, police mentioned. When officials arrived on the scene, they came upon Donofrio useless at the entrance porch, in accordance to police.

The investigation discovered that the home-owner, whose title used to be no longer launched, used to be legally in ownership of a firearm and legally owned the gun “for the purpose of personal and home protection, police said.

Police said they are still awaiting toxicology reports from the medical examiner’s office “to resolve the sufferer’s kind and degree of impairment.”

Donofrio’s parents, Lou and Dina Donofrio of Madison, Connecticut, told ABC affiliate station WTNH in New Haven, Connecticut, their son was a member of the Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity and was studying applied exercise science. The parents said they moved him into an off-campus fraternity house last week, adding their son was excited to live with friends for his junior year.

Classes for the fall semester at the University of South Carolina began on Aug. 24.

“We have been very proud of Nick. We have been fortunate to be his oldsters. He used to be the son each father or mother would need for,” Lou and Dina Donofrio said in a statement. “He used to be beloved by means of his brother, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and prolonged circle of relatives. He had a bunch of pals that have been like his brothers. He used to be humorous, good and compassionate and beloved existence. We will leave out him immeasurably.”

Madison Public Schools officials in Connecticut said Donofrio graduated from Daniel Hand High School in 2021, where he played on the varsity basketball team.

“Nick used to be a phenomenal younger guy who excelled in the school room and as an athlete. Our ideas are with Nick’s friends and family presently,” according to a statement from the school district.

Donofrio’s oldsters mentioned their son additionally performed basketball for the University of New England in Maine all through his freshman yr, ahead of shifting to the University of South Carolina for his sophomore yr.