A 58-year-old Irondale man will not face criminal charges in the February shooting death of one of his neighbors.

The Jefferson County District Attorney's Office ruled the fatal shooting of 50-year-old Michael Robertson justifiable. Irondale Detective Michael Mangina said he received word today about the decision.

The shooting happened in the early-morning hours of Feb. 3 in the 500 block of Hagbush Road, which is just off of Overton Road. Officers were dispatched to the home about 12:30 a.m. that Tuesday after receiving a 911 call.

When they arrived on the scene, they found Robertson dead from a shotgun blast to the chest. The homeowner was taken into custody to be questioned by investigators, but was released after questioning.

The victim, whose name hasn't been released, lived on Hagbush Road. Robertson lived nearby on Ravine Road. Mangina said the homeowner has a vacant house on the property, but lives in a trailer with an enclosed porch.

The homeowner multiple times in the past had warned Robertson to stay off his property. Robertson was suspected of stealing from the homeowner and others in the neighborhood, Mangina said. "He had a reputation in the neighborhood for stealing,'' he said. "He was kind of like a bully. He would, oftentimes under the influence, provoke people."

On the morning of the fatal shooting, Robertson showed up on his neighbor's porch. The neighbor heard him and went outside to confront him. "He told him to leave and they had words,'' Mangina said. "Robertson wouldn't leave."

After a heated exchange, Robertson began to advance toward the homeowner. That's when he was shot. He was pronounced dead on the scene.