A Labrador man was sentenced to five and a half years in the shooting death of an acquaintance in Labrador West.

Vincent Ward was charged with second degree murder but found guilty of manslaughter in the death of Vincent Belanger-Dompierre at a house on Pine Avenue in Labrador City in April of 2016.

Testimony revealed that the two were involved in the drug trade and that Ward believed that third persons were going to cause harm to him and Dompierre. At issue was a missing quantity of drugs with a significant street value.

Justice Alphonsus Faour noted that Ward, who is in his mid-thirties, is originally from the south coast of Labrador but moved to Upper Lake Melville at the age of six.

A pre-sentence report describes him as a low risk to offend and continues to have good relationships with family members. He had no prior criminal record.

With credit for time served, Ward has less than two years left to spend in custody.