Hamilton Township: A woman shot and killed a friend who showed up at her house for a surprise visit and startled her, authorities said.

The woman told them she was talking on the phone late Thursday with 50-year-old Kelvin Watford, who said he was returning from a trip and wasn't nearby, authorities said. The woman said she then heard a dog barking and noises outside her Hamilton Township home.

The woman told authorities she got her gun when she heard someone inside her home and, while still on the phone, opened her bedroom door, saw a shadow and fired a single shot.

Officers found Watford, of Willingboro, lying at the bottom of the stairs. He died of a gunshot wound to the chest.

The woman called police at around 11:20 p.m.

The Mercer County prosecutor's office said an investigation is ongoing, but it appears the killing was an accident.

No charges have been filed.

Watford's brother Alvin Hursley told NJ.com that family and friends were shocked by the "tragic" shooting.

"He didn't have an enemy in this world," Hursley said.