By Heather Ruppe
A Colleton County homeowner who shot and killed an intruder last week is not facing any criminal charges for the incident.
This criminal investigation is still underway, and local authorities say it is not likely that the victim/homeowner will be charged. The victim/homeowner’s identity has not been released.
On Sept. 14th, the homeowner was inside his Madison Street house near Walterboro at about 10 p.m. when two armed men tried to break into his home. The homeowner shot one of the men: authorities who arrived to the scene found the suspect dead on the victim’s front porch.
When we arrived to the victim’s house, the “homeowner exited the home, unarmed, and confirmed he shot the man when he and another individual tried to break down his door,” said Shalane Tindal, spokeswoman for the Colleton County Sheriff’s Office.
Both of the suspects were armed with a handgun, said Tindal.
The second would-be-intruder fled from the scene in a dark-colored sedan. He has not yet been found, as of press deadline.
The suspect who was shot to death is identified as 25-year-old Brandon McDonald-Sharmk, of Colleton County, according to Colleton County Coroner Richard Harvey.
McDonald-Sharmk died at the scene from a gunshot wound, said Harvey.
“The homeowner cooperated with detectives, citing the location of the used firearm and providing footage from a home security camera. Detectives worked through the night to process the scene,” said Tindal, in a written statement. “This is still an active investigation and is believed to be an isolated incident.”
The Colleton Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information about this incident to contact their Criminal Investigations Division at 843-549-2211. Tipsters can also leave an anonymous tip by emailing submit-a-tip@colletoncounty.org.
This incident is not tied to another fatal home invasion that occurred two weeks ago in Cottageville. In that case, the suspect shot and killed the male homeowner. The suspect fled the scene, but was later captured in Georgia.
