The owner of a Hatboro barber shop is accused of fatally shooting a man who allegedly called him a racial slur and charged at him while the suspect was on the phone with 911.

Maurice Byrd, 41, of Horsham, was on the phone with an emergency dispatcher shortly before 6 p.m. Saturday when the victim, Stephen Strassburg, 37,  was heard using a racial slur directed at Byrd, according to the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office.

“What are you going to do, you going to shoot me,” Strassburg said before calling Byrd a racial slur, according to a probable cause affidavit.

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Immediately after, the operator heard a burst of five gunshots, followed by a pause and two additional shots.

Byrd then told the operator that he “had to” shoot Strassburg, who lived above Byrd’s business, in the 220 block of North York Road, where the shooting occured, police said.

On Sunday Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele announced his office was charging Byrd with first-degree, and third-degree murder and possessing an instrument of a crime. He was taken to Montgomery County Correctional Center without bail.

Hatboro police found Strassburg in the parking lot of Razor Reese’s Salon and Spa with gunshot wounds to his face, collar bone and back. He was taken to Abington-Jefferson Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Montgomery County Detectives recovered seven spent cartridge cases from the scene and a 9mm Smith and Wesson semi-automatic handgun.  Byrd has a valid permit to carry a firearm, authorities said.

Byrd and Strassburg did not get along, though authorities provided no details about the ongoing problems between the men.

Three times in the last 18 months, Hatboro police have responded to calls at the address for verbal disputes, the affidavit said. Each time, the police warned the men to stay away from each other, the affidavit said.

A neighbor who lives in the building told authorities he saw Byrd and a man, later identified as Strassburg, arguing on Saturday evening.  The witness was sitting on his balcony, which has a view of the parking lot where the barber shop is located.

The witness said that Strassburg called Byrd a “drug dealer,” then walked around the corner and out of  view, authorities said.  A short time later, Strassburg returned and called Byrd a racial slur before charging at him, the witness told police.

The witness said he believed that Strassburg was going to get physical with Byrd and so he went back into his apartment, which is when he heard several shots, the affidavit said.

After hearing the shots the witness returned to the balcony and saw Byrd with a firearm in his hand near Strassburg, who was on the ground not moving, the affidavit said.

The witnesses’ girlfriend, who was on the balcony with him, told police she also witnessed Byrd and Strassburg arguing, but she didn’t hear what was said.

She also told authorities she saw Strassburg approach Byrd in an “aggressive manner,” and initiated a physical fight with Byrd, the affidavit said.  She then heard several gunshots and saw Strassburg on the ground.

Strassburg appeared to be unarmed, both witnesses said.

In a police interview, Byrd said that he was outside his barber shop smoking  a cigarette on Saturday evening when Strassburg saw him and yelled a racial slur at him.

Byrd said he went back inside his business to get his cell phone so he could call 911, when Strassburg allegedly opened the door and again yelled a racial slur at Byrd.

While on the phone with 911 outside his business, where Byrd said that Strassburg moved toward him, and grabbed his shirt, the affidavit said.

At that point, Byrd said he retrieved his handgun from his waistband, prompting Strassburg to pull back his arm in a motion like he was going to throw a punch, then ask Byrd if he was going to shoot him, police said.

Byrd then fired several shots, and dropped his cell phone while he was on the phone with 911, the affidavit said.  After Strassburg was on the ground, Byrd dropped his handgun and picked up his cell phone and remained on the phone with the dispatcher until police arrived.

Reporter Jo Ciavaglia can be reached at jciavaglia@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Hatboro police say ongoing dispute between men ends with murder