An Indianapolis security guard charged with murder last year in the shooting death of a woman at the Towne and Terrace Apartments has been found not guilty, court records show.

Melvin E. Hall, 34, was charged days after prosecutors said he shot 25-year-old Nataysia Williams three times as she sat in the driver's seat of a car in the complex's parking lot near 42nd Street and Post Road shortly after midnight Aug. 27.

A jury found him not guilty of the charge Tuesday.

Williams reportedly had a handgun in the car at the time of the incident, but prosecutors said she never pointed the gun at Hall before he shot her.

According to a probable cause affidavit filed after Hall's arrest, Williams had driven to the apartment complex and argued with another woman shortly before the shooting. 

A witness told investigators that Williams told the woman "you lucky I ain't got no bullets," and "I just dumped a clip on my family."

Hall and two other security guards who work for him were nearby, and Hall approached the passenger side of the car with a flashlight.

The two other security guards told police they heard him say he saw a gun before he started shooting, while other witnesses said Hall did not speak before firing and others claimed they never saw Williams point the gun at Hall.

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A Smith and Wesson handgun loaded with five rounds was on the driver's seat of Williams' car, investigators said, and police seized Hall's Glock 9mm handgun loaded with 14 rounds, along with a bulletproof vest, five loaded 17-round pistol magazines and a rifle magazine loaded with 29 rounds.

Investigators also found an AR-15 style rifle with six 30-round magazines and a loaded 56-round drum magazine, 770 rounds of handgun ammunition and 238 rifle rounds in Hall's SUV.

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Hall filed a notice of self-defense in court Sept. 15, records show. 

The shooting sparked a protest on the north side of the city, and about 30 people temporarily blocked traffic near the 3700 block of North Meridian Street to call for justice in the 25-year-old's death.

Marc Lopez, Hall's defense attorney in the case, issued a statement after the acquittal calling the incident "tragic and avoidable" and emphasizing that Hall acted in self-defense. 

Lopez noted that Williams had made "a number of threatening statements" to people at the scene and said Hall saw Williams "moving her gun towards him" before he fired.

"Mr. Hall responded in self-defense for the safety of himself and others," Lopez said.

Marion County Prosecutor's Office spokesman Michael Leffler in a statement on the decision said deputy prosecutors, victim advocates and investigators "worked diligently to bring a challenging case before a jury."

"Our focus now is to provide the (Williams) family with the support they need during this extremely difficult time," Leffler said.

Former IndyStar reporters Vic Ryckaert and Lydia Gerike contributed to this report. 

Contact Lawrence Andrea at 317-775-4313 or landrea@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @lawrencegandrea.