COLUMBIA, S.C. — A community is mourning this weekend following the deadly shooting of Nicholas Anthony Donofrio, a 20-year-old University of South Carolina student living in Columbia.
For Kate Reynolds, Saturday was a day of reflection and confusion, trying to make sense of the deadly shooting of a student in her neighborhood. She lives a few doors down from the home where Nicholas Anthony Donofrio, a Connecticut native and USC sophomore, was shot and killed early Saturday morning.
"It's not how you want to start college.. with something traumatic. You're going to have those memories of your friend. The whole experience is kind of tainted with that, too," Reynolds said.
According to the Columbia Police Department, the shooting happened just before 2 a.m. near Rosewood Drive in the 500 block of South Holly Street. Police were initially called to the location due to a possible home burglary, but the call was changed to a report of shots fired as they were on the way. Police said that when officers arrived, the victim, Donofrio was already dead on the front porch of a home with a gunshot wound to the upper body.
Based on their preliminary investigation, police say Donofrio, who lived on South Holly Street, likely tried to enter the wrong home when he was killed. Columbia Police are now working with the Fifth Circuit Solicitor's Office to determine if there will be additional steps in the case.
Neighbors said the street was inundated with police cars and firetrucks that were surrounding one of the homes. Reynolds said it's a tragedy for someone so young to be taken away like this.
"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," she said.
Reynolds has lived in Rosewood for 15 years and said she's worried about the future following a deadly incident like this.
"I hate to hear that somebody - even in the neighborhood because this is usually such a more welcoming and friendly neighborhood than that," she said.
The Columbia police department says they are still investigating and working with the Fifth Circuit Solicitors office regarding the case.
The University of South Carolina sent a statement to News19 that reads, in part:
"Our Student Affairs team is providing resources and support to those who may be affected by this tragedy, and we remind all of our students that help is always available to them."