FORT SMITH, Ark. (AP) - A witness told police a man who died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot after authorities say he killed another man claimed the death was a pre-emptive strike.
Investigators say Ibn Islam killed Chad Whitfield Aug. 1 while several people, including three children, hid in another part of the house.
According to a Southwest Times Record story (http://bit.ly/PJvdEu), Shabazz Simpson says he saw Islam outside of Whitfield's residence waving a gun and telling Whitfield to defend himself.
Simpson later questioned Islam, who told him he had killed Whitfield and that Whitfield was going to kill him because Islam owed Whitfield money.
Police Sgt. Daniel Grubbs said in a written statement that all evidence and witness statements suggest that Islam acted alone in Whitfield's death and that he took his own life.
(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)