Man killed in Battle Creek in apparent self-defense shooting

BATTLE CREEK — A 40-year-old Fulton man was killed in a Wednesday shooting inside an apartment in what police are calling a self-defense shooting.

The man is accused of breaking into an apartment at Georgetown Estates, Battle Creek police said.

Officers responded to a distress call at the 1975 E. Columbia Ave. apartment complex around 9:41 p.m. Wednesday where they found Donald Richard Guthrie had been shot.

Guthrie was transported by LifeCare Ambulance to Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo where he later died, police said.

“It appears that Guthrie had forced his way into the victim’s Georgetown Estates apartment, at which time the victim shot Guthrie,” police said in a release. “At this time, it appears that the victim acted in self-defense.”

The case will be submitted to the Calhoun County Prosecutor’s Office for review, police said. An investigation is ongoing.

Police declined to release any further details Thursday.