In the early morning hours of September 1, 2017, in Spencer, Iowa, a chain of events led to the death of 30-year-old Nicolas Bandomo. Emergency services were dispatched to 819 East 12th Street around 12:39 a.m. following a report of a shooting. Upon arrival, they discovered Bandomo, an Albert City resident, suffering from a gunshot wound. He was initially transported to Spencer Hospital and later transferred to Avera McKennon Hospital in Sioux Falls, where he ultimately succumbed to his
injuries.
The investigation that followed, conducted by the Spencer Police Department and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, revealed that the shooting did not occur where Bandomo was found. Instead, the incident began at a nearby residence, 810 E. 12th St. Authorities determined that Bandomo had illegally entered this home, where there were existing no-contact orders prohibiting him from being present and interacting with the occupants. Inside the residence, he was shot once by a 26-year-old resident named Andres Ramos. After being shot, Bandomo fled the house and was later located in front of the other East 12th Street address.
Following a thorough investigation, the Clay County Attorney's Office announced in January 2018 that no charges would be filed against Andres Ramos. The prosecutor's office concluded that Ramos was justified in using deadly force under the circumstances. The official press release stated that Bandomo had unlawfully entered the occupied home, and the shooting was deemed a justified act of self-defense. Despite this legal conclusion, Bandomo's mother expressed her heartbreak and disbelief over the official account of what transpired, particularly the characterization of her son's actions as a home invasion. Prior to his death, Bandomo had a history of arrests in Spencer, including charges for domestic abuse and violating no-contact orders.
