Graduate Student Killed After Mistaking Home For His Own

A graduate student was shot to death when he accidentally tried to enter the wrong apartment after a night of drinking.

Stephen Guillermo, 26, apparently pushed the wrong floor number on the elevator in his San Francisco apartment building early on Saturday morning, getting out on the third floor instead of the fifth, his family told SFGate.

When Guillermo went into the unit in the same location as his two floors above, he was allegedly shot and killed by its owner, 68-year-old Amisi Sudi Kachepa.

Kachepa, who surrendered to police, reportedly told investigators that he blamed Guillermo for breaking the knob on the door of his unit, which was missing on Saturday.

But Guillermo’s brother Marc, who also shared the fifth-floor apartment, said he couldn’t understand what happened.

“He’s not aggressive or violent,” Marc Guillermo said. “He’s a quiet person.”

He said Stephen was studying international business at San Francisco State University, and worked as a driver and shoe salesman. He also hoped to join the Foreign Service.

Stephen’s sister, Sharrmaine Guillermo, said her brother did not become hostile when he drank.

“It just doesn’t fit,” she said. “Stephen is not the kind of guy who would do that.”

Police said Guillermo was pronounced dead at the scene.

The homicide squad is investigating.

This article originally appeared on News.com.au.