LISBON — Columbiana County Sheriff Brian McLaughlin described a fatal shooting late Saturday night on Bell Road as a case of self-defense by a bystander who stopped to assist a woman asking for help after a domestic.

“I don’t foresee any charges being filed,” McLaughlin said Tuesday.

The deceased was identified as Robert C. Harris Jr., 61, state Route 45, Lisbon, who died of a gunshot wound at the scene.

McLaughlin said the incident began as a domestic when Harris started beating on a 49-year-old woman in his Jeep while traveling on Bell Road. She exited the vehicle and was walking along the road when the bystander was almost to his residence and stopped to see if she needed help. She wanted a ride home, so he dropped off his child to his wife at his residence and pulled out of his driveway to take the woman home when another vehicle rammed him.

According to the sheriff’s incident report, the other driver, who was later identified as Harris, stuck a gun out of the window as his Jeep was ramming the bystander’s vehicle. The bystander told deputies he wasn’t sure if the man was shooting.

“He saw the gun in the rearview mirror as his vehicle was being pushed into the trees he thought he was shooting at him,” the report said.

McLaughlin said the bystander lost control of his vehicle, got out after grabbing his gun and shot at Harris, who had been brandishing a handgun. He said multiple shots were fired and 9 mm casings were found on the ground.

McLaughlin wasn’t sure if Harris actually fired his gun, but said “there was obvious contact between the two vehicles.”

The woman suffered minor injuries during the domestic.

The shooter called the sheriff’s office at 11:59 p.m. Saturday to report what happened and remained at the scene. A relative of the shooting victim also called 911 at 12:04 a.m. Sunday.

The Bureau of Criminal Investigation was called to the scene and McLaughlin said all the information gathered during the investigation will be handed over to the county prosecutor’s office for review.

mgreier@mojonews.com