An American Boater Rescued A Drowning Man & Then Shot Him But He Won't Face Any Charges

A South Carolina boater will not face charges after fatally shooting a man he had just saved from drowning, local officials have confirmed.

The boater is believed to have shot the man out of self-defence, therefore relieving him of charges.

The incident took place last week when a couple boating on Lake Keowee in South Carolina witnessed a man and a woman who had fallen off their Jet Ski.

According to a press release from the sheriff's office, the two were "in distress in the water" and weren't wearing life jackets.

The couple on a nearby pontoon boat saw the man and woman struggling and drove over to rescue them from drowning.

They helped the pair onto their boat, which is when things took a turn for the worse.

The man who had been rescued "became agitated and began assaulting the couple on the pontoon," police say.

It seems that the man, 29-year-old Nathan Drew Morgan, may have wanted to retrieve the Jet Ski, which was still running and making circles in the water.

The woman who was with him on the Jet Ski "attempted to deescalate the assault" by pushing Morgan back into the water, according to the sheriff's report.

The couple on the boat then helped Morgan get back onto the pontoon for the second time.

Once he was back on the boat, he allegedly continued to assault the other couple, and eventually, the man shot Morgan, "Fearing for his and his wife's life."

The 29-year-old died on the pontoon boat.

In a second press release shared by the Oconee County Sheriff's Office, officials confirmed that the shooting had been ruled as a self-defence case.

The decision was made based on the evidence and information of the case provided by investigators.

"All parties have been notified of the decision not to file charges in the case," confirmed the sheriff's office.

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.