Nicholas Donofrio, University of South Carolina student, shot dead trying to enter wrong home during morning early hours after having recently moved to new address.
A 20 year old Columbia, South Carolina student was shot and killed over the weekend after ‘accidentally’ attempting to enter the wrong home during early morning hours.
Nicholas Anthony Donofrio, 20, a University of South Carolina student was found dead about 2 a.m. Saturday on the front porch of a Columbia home. The college student hailing from Connecticut had moved in last week to a nearby residence that he was sharing with four friends, his parents told WTNH.
Donofrio’s parents described their son as ‘a great son, loving, compassionate, all the traits you would want in a son.’
Attempted to enter the wrong home when shot
Police said they were called to a report of a break-in at the residence, which was on the same block where Donofrio lived.
‘Preliminary information indicates that Donofrio who resided on South Holly Street attempted to enter the wrong home when he was fatally shot,’ police said in a released statement.
Donofrio, who transferred from the University of New England in 2021, was studying kinesiology and exercise science, according to his LinkedIn page.
His parents, who were not named, told WTNH that Donofrio graduated from Daniel Hand High School in Madison, Connecticut, where he played baseball and basketball.
His former basketball coach, Jimmy Economopoulos, said the student was the team’s captain in his senior year.
‘It’s heartbreaking. When (I heard) the news, my heart just sank,’ Economopoulos told CT Insider. ‘He was just a smart, engaging, charismatic young man. … It wasn’t the phone call I was expecting to get yesterday, that’s for sure.’
‘This is usually such a more welcoming and friendly neighborhood.’
Kate Reynolds, a resident in the neighborhood where the shooting took place told of being shocked by the incident.
‘You think you’re going to be safe sending your kid off, you’re so excited sending your kid to school and something like this happens,’ Reynolds told WLTX.
‘It’s not how you want to start college and something traumatic. You’re going to have those memories of your friend. The whole experience is kind of tainted with that, too,’ she said.
Adding, ‘This is usually such a more welcoming and friendly neighborhood.’
The fatal shooting came less than 72 hours after the university’s fall semester classes began Thursday.
The university’s Student Affairs team is ‘providing resources and support to those who may be affected by this tragedy,’ ABC News reported.
‘We remind all of our students that help is always available to them,’ the statement added.
Authorities have not revealed who shot Donofrio, or if any charges have been filed in the case as an investigation that ‘remains active.’
