McNair’s girlfriend bought gun Thursday, police say

July 07, 2009|Associated Press

NASHVILLE - The gun found at the scene where former NFL star Steve McNair died was bought by his girlfriend less than two days before the two were shot to death, police say.

Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron said yesterday that 20-year-old Sahel Kazemi bought the semiautomatic handgun Thursday evening from a person he didn’t name.

An autopsy showed that McNair and Kazemi died early Saturday. He was shot four times and his death has been ruled a homicide. She was shot once and Aaron said police are still waiting for ballistic and gunpowder residue tests before deciding whether she was slain or committed suicide.

Their bodies were found in a Nashville condominium leased by McNair, who was 36.

Aaron said that as far as he knows, McNair was not with Kazemi when she got the gun.

The retired star quarterback and the waitress met six months ago at a restaurant where she worked and his family often ate. He was married and 16 years older, but she seemed happy and eager to build a life with him.

He gave her an Escalade for her birthday and took her on trips to Las Vegas and Key West.

“She just had it made, you know, this guy taking care of everything,’’ her nephew, Farzin Abdi, said yesterday.

Kazemi appeared sure the relationship would last and had introduced her family to McNair, her nephew said. Abdi quoted her as saying that McNair was divorcing his wife.

“I think she had already put her stuff up for sale on Craigslist,’’ Abdi said.

Police, still investigating, said they have not yet linked the handgun to the shootings.

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