A Butler Township man testified Tuesday in his homicide trial that he shot a former friend and employee in self-defense after he tried pushing his way into his home last year.

Nathan D. Michael, 29, testified against the advice of his attorneys in his jury trial in Butler County Common Pleas Court for killing Joseph Derenzo, 38, on June 24 in the garage of Michael’s townhome on Spooner Drive.

Michael said he didn’t know Derenzo was unarmed until police told him so.

He testified after his attorney R. Anthony Deluca said he and co-counsel Randall Ricciuti advised him against it.

Michael said Derenzo worked for him doing auto body and motorcycle repair and they became friends.

He said Derenzo displayed some alarming behavior before the shooting, including showing up at his shop May 18 intoxicated and shooting a gun multiple times into the ceiling.

Later that day, he said he told Derenzo he wasn’t allowed back in the shop and that he was going to shoot his car in retaliation for him shooting up the shop. He said he shot the car, which turned out to belong to the father of Derenzo’s girlfriend, Shelby Marianna, who testified Monday. Derenzo responded by shooting Michael’s truck, he said.

In the ensuing fight, Michael said Derenzo drew a gun that discharged and the bullet hit Derenzo in the shoulder.

Sometime later, Michael said Derenzo invited him to come to his camp the weekend before the shooting, which took place on a Monday. At the camp, Michael said he told Derenzo their working relationship was over.

At one point, he said he put his gun on the hood of a vehicle he was working on and Derenzo reached for the gun.

The day of the shooting, Michael said Derenzo drove to his house unexpectedly with Marianna. He said he told Derenzo he wasn’t welcome there and his girlfriend, Blake Morrow, who testified earlier Tuesday, and Marianna went to an upstairs bedroom.

Michael said he and Derenzo were in the garage having disagreements and he walked upstairs a few times during the discussion. On his way back down to the garage, he said he heard an AR-15 style rifle, which he left in the garage the day before, being racked.

When he entered the garage, Michael said he noticed that the rifle had been moved from where he left it. He said Derenzo came toward him and closed the garage door by pressing the button of the powered door.

He said Derenzo then tried to get into his home through the garage’s door.

“He tried to get into the house. I pushed him,” Michael said. “I pulled my gun.”

Michael said Derenzo then reached for his waistband, where he was known to carry a gun, and then reached for the AR-15, which was out of his reach. Derenzo reached for his waistband again before reaching for Michael’s gun, he said.

“I fired three times,” Michael said.

He said Derenzo stumbled and was leaning against a motorcycle, but reached again for the AR-15.

“I fired again two times in his back,” Michael said.

He said he was panicking as he looked for his cellphone, and called 911 after finding the phone.

“Because I feared for my life,” he said when Deluca asked him why he shot Derenzo.

He said he acted in self-defense even though he did not see Derenzo with a gun.

“I reacted based on past experiences,” Michael said.

Assistant district attorney Robert Zanella pointed out that Michael told the 911 dispatcher that he and Derenzo were on opposite sides of the motorcycle when he shot him and that Derenzo pulled a gun.

Tuesday, he said he was panicked during the call and Derenzo didn’t have a gun.

Zanella noted that Michael told police in a recorded interview that Derenzo grabbed his gun and he shot Derenzo at point blank range.

A forensic pathologist testified Monday that the shots came from at least 3 1/2 feet away.

Michael said Derenzo put the rifle on a toolbox in the garage and he saw the rifle in Derenzo’s hand when he came downstairs to the garage. He said the rifle was in the garage and denied planting it there after shooting Derenzo.

Zanella also brought up a recorded phone call involving Michael from jail, in which Michael said, “I was going to shoot him at camp, but Levi was there.” Levi is Marianna’s son, according to testimony.

Michael said he has a baby with his ex-wife and he didn’t want Derenzo to be around the baby.

Judge Joseph Kubit said he will provide deliberation instructions to the jury Wednesday after closing arguments are completed.