Belding police officers were dispatched to 1410 Oakwood St. at 4:53 a.m. after a 911 call in which a woman reported she had just shot her boyfriend who had attacked her.

When officers arrived, Vincent was crying. She immediately told police that the gun she used in the shooting was located in the bathroom — the same room where she said Harrington had slammed her head into a hall, hit her in the face and told her he was going to kill her.

An autopsy determined Harrington had been shot eight times, with bullets entering the front of his body, the side and rear. Harrington had “sufficiently measurable amounts” of methamphetamine, amphetamine and THC in his blood at the time of his death. The cause of his death was ruled to be due to multiple gunshot wounds.

Police interviewed a total of 27 people during the investigation, including Vincent’s co-workers, as well as family members of Harrington and Vincent. Co-workers attested to Harrington being controlling regarding Vincent’s whereabouts and who she was associating with. Family members and friends reported Vincent had told them about how Harrington abused her. Neighbors reported they had heard the couple arguing on previous occasions, with him yelling at her.

Police also learned Harrington had been involved in a road rage incident in 2007 with a male stranger. That incident led to Harrington following the man to the man’s home, where Harrington squealed his tires to a stop in such a manner that neighbors ran outside, fearing a child had been hit by a car.

Ionia County Prosecutor Kyle Butler said because Vincent used deadly force against Harrington, she committed homicide, but not all homicides are criminal.

A homicide is not murder if the killing was justified. A homicide is justified if the defendant acted in self defense.

Under Michigan law, a person has the right to use deadly force in self defense when they have a reasonable and honest belief that they are in imminent danger of death or great bodily harm.

“Because Ms. Vincent had been assaulted on prior occasions by Mr. Harrington and was also familiar with his history, Mr. Harrington’s prior acts become relevant in evaluating the actions of Ms. Vincent,” Butler noted. “Further, the character of Mr. Harrington, in particular his temper and his history of violence, may be considered as evidence of the deceased’s probable aggression toward her.”