A Long Beach resident shot to death a man who was attacking him Thursday evening, according to police, who are treating the killing as an act of self defense.

The shooting happened shortly before 6:30 p.m. at the resident’s home on Hill Street, just west of the Los Angeles River in West Long Beach, according to authorities.

He was there when a man he knew confronted him “about a personal dispute,” police said.

“The confrontation quickly escalated to a violent physical assault upon the resident,” police said. “During the assault, the resident discharged a firearm at the male subject, dialed 911 to report the incident, and began performing life-saving measures until police and fire personnel arrived.”

When officers got there, they found the man who’d been shot lying in the resident’s yard with a wound to the upper body, police said. He died at the scene. Coroner’s officials identified him as Daniel Siordia, a 35-year-old from Paramount.

Authorities did not say how the men knew each other or what their dispute was about. Police said the gun used in the shooting was legally registered to the resident who fired it.

“Detectives believe the resident acted in self-defense and was not arrested and is cooperating with detectives as the investigation continues,” police said.

A neighbor said the resident has at least one child, and he supports his family by working at a car shop.

The row of small homes on their block of Hill Street are well kept, many with “neighborhood watch” or “beware of dog” signs prominently displayed.