Woman's gun ID'd in Steve McNair death, but questions linger
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McNair By Kate Howard, The Tennessean
NASHVILLE — Though many questions remain, investigators now know that Sahel Kazemi bought the gun that ended her life and killed former Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair.
Kazemi bought the semi-automatic pistol on Thursday evening from a person Nashville police have not named. She made the purchase the same day she was bailed out of jail by McNair for a DUI charge. Both were found dead less than 48 hours later, in a condo McNair rented.
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Police still aren't classifying the deaths as a murder-suicide, although state medical examiner Bruce Levy said it's a possible scenario based on the evidence. McNair was found dead with four gunshot wounds — one bullet in each temple, and two to the chest — on the couch, Levy said. The autopsy showed that three of the shots were fired from at least three feet away. One, to the head, was shot at close range, he said.
Kazemi, 20, died of a single gunshot wound to the head and fell to the floor. The pistol was found underneath her body, police say.
Police say gun in Steve McNair's death was bought by his girlfriend
By Sean Leahy, USA TODAY
Sahel Kazemi purchased the gun found at the scene of former Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair's death two days before their bodies were found in a Nashville condominium, police said Monday.
"The gun recovered from the crime scene," Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron said, "was purchased by Kazemi on Thursday night from a private individual."
McNair's death was ruled a homicide. Police haven't classified Kazemi's death. But Tennessee medical examiner Bruce Levy said the one bullet that struck her was fired with the gun touching her head.
Police are nearing answers on what happened inside the home Saturday, though Aaron said the investigation continued. "We think we have an idea of how things went down in the condominium as far as the gunshots," he said.
The Associated Press reported that Kazemi's nephew, Farzin Abdi, said police told him they were almost certain Kazemi was the shooter. Abdi maintained she had no motive.
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Aaron said officials wanted to know more about what happened from when the bodies were discovered to when police were notified, a span he said might have been 40 minutes or longer.
Kazemi's ex-boyfriend, Keith Norfleet, was questioned for several hours by police Sunday. Aaron did not identify him as a suspect and said no suspects were being actively pursued.
Kazemi bought the gun Thursday evening after she had been arrested on suspicion of DUI by Nashville police early that morning. McNair was a passenger in the car with her, but he was allowed to leave the scene.
Titans coach Jeff Fisher asked that the circumstances of McNair's death not dampen his memory. "The Steve McNair that I knew," Fisher said, "would want me to say, 'I'm sorry. I'm not perfect. We all make decisions sometimes that are not in our best interests. Please forgive me.' "
sores of : www.usatoday.com
