ATF: Ex-Con Sold Kazemi Gun That Killed McNair

((HT: Tennessean/Echegaray))

Adrian Gilliam Jr. ((ictured, thanks WKRN-TV)) of La Vergne has been arrested in connection with the Steve McNair shooting, accused of supplying the gun that killed the NFL great.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms and Tobacco arrested Gilliam.

The gun offense is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. Gilliam has a 3 p.m. arraignment today before Judge Clifton Knowles.

Gilliam, 33, was convicted in Miami-Dade County, Fla., in 1993 of three counts of armed robbery and second-degree murder.

Sahel Kazemi, 20, who had been dating McNair for several months, purchased the gun from Gilliam on July 2 — the same day she was busted for a DUI while McNair was in the passenger seat of a Cadillac Escalade registered to the pair.

Police said she bought it in the parking lot outside Dave & Busters in the middle of her waitress shift for $100 — and she also tried to sell the gun supplier her Kia but was unsuccessful. She spent so long in the parking lot, the restaurant's managers told her to clock out for the night.

Two days later, McNair was shot four times and Kazemi turned the gun on herself. They were found early morning July 4 in a Second Avenue condo McNair rented with a friend.

Crime-scene evidence showed that all five of the bullets fired in the condo matched the gun that was found under her body. Police are awaiting toxicology reports on both victims.

Kazemi’s family has hired a Nashville lawyer and they are seeking an independent investigation. A representative said relatives can’t believe she acted alone in killing the former quarterback.

According to a court filing in relation to Gilliam's gun charge, the gun originated at Household Pawn on Charlotte Avenue and went through another owner before Gilliam bought it for $100 about a year ago. It said Gilliam admitted to agents he sold the gun to Kazemi, identifying her through a photograph.

John Dwyer leads Christine Maddela and Chris Bundgaard into coverage from the courthouse in Nashville.
Thanks to our friends at WKRN-TV...