WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- A Westgate man who shot into a Jeep, killing two men and injuring another was acting in self-defense, a jury ruled Monday.

After a six-day trial, the jury found Norman Borden, 44, not guilty of charges that included two counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder and one count of shooting into an occupied vehicle.

Borden shot at three men who were in the Jeep in October 2006. The shooting happened after the group confronted Borden as he walked his dogs.

Christopher Araujo, 19, and Saul Trejo, 21, were killed in the shooting. Juan Mendez, 21, was injured.

Borden's defense argued he fired the shots because he feared for his life. Borden claims the three men had tried to run him over in the Jeep.

But the prosecution said though Borden's first shots were in self-defense, he committed murder when he stepped in front of the Jeep and fired more rounds at the vehicle. Florida's 2005 stand your ground law allows someone to use deadly force to avoid bodily harm and eliminates the duty to retreat.

Public Defender Carey Haughwout said Borden was "very relieved" with the jury's decision.

"He recognized his life was on the line, but he always had confidence the jury would do the right thing," Haughwout said.

Prosecutor Craig Williams told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel he was not surprised by the verdict.

"It's tough to put yourself in that guy's shoes and say he didn't act appropriately," Williams said. "It's really tough."

A phone message and e-mail left by The Associated Press with the attorneys involved in the case were not immediately returned Monday evening.