When Armando Baccari fatally shot a man who had initiated a "vicious attack," he was plausibly acting in self-defence, a Calgary judge has ruled in finding the accused not guilty of murder.

Baccari killed Arnold Kerfont in October 2017 and was charged with second-degree murder. His trial took place earlier this fall with lawyer Jim Lutz arguing his client feared for his life and acted in self-defence.

Prosecutor Matt Dalidowicz had argued Baccari shot Kerfont as retaliation for the beating the victim had initiated.

On Thursday, Court of Queen's Bench Justice Jim Eamon said it was plausible that Baccari had "a grave concern for his life" after being boot stomped in the head by Kerfont in what witnesses described as an "extremely fast moving and fluid event."

Baccari has been in custody at the Calgary Remand Centre since his arrest and will be a free man later this afternoon.

On Oct. 17, 2017, Baccari, along with a woman, drove up to his sister's home, where they found Kerfont, already in an aggressive and violent state, trying to get into the home.

During the trial, witnesses testified that Kerfont had physically attacked his girlfriend, stabbed her tires and threatened to cut her in the time leading up to the fatal fight.

As Baccari asked Kerfont what was happening, the victim ran up to the car and initiated an attack.

Baccari was pushed to the ground and kicked in the head several times. As he tried to get up, a gun fell from his jacket and both men lunged for it.

During his testimony, Baccari said he got to the weapon first and then tried to shoot Kerfont "in the ass," which he didn't think would kill him.

Baccari's violent history

Baccari says that when he learned Kerfont had died, he was shocked.

Kerfont was found to have alcohol, meth and marijuana in his system at the time of his death.

Baccari has a lengthy, violent criminal history with previous convictions for a firebombing and the torture of a Calgary man.

In 2009, Baccari firebombed a home, injuring three members of a family after tossing a Molotov cocktail inside the house. That crime ended with a seven-year sentence for Baccari.

In 2006, he beat a man who had been tied to a chair. The beating was so violent, it was described in court as "torture."

Baccari was sentenced to just over three years in prison for that crime.