Reported Felon Claims Self-Defense After Allegedly Bolting From Scene of Fatal Shooting

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE — A Nashville man has claimed self-defense in the wake of a fatal shooting, but the circumstances surrounding the shooting look suspect.

According to Alcapone Branch, 26, the man who did the shooting, he and Jamie Whitehead, 44, both came back from a local store when Whitehead began to threaten him.

Witnesses said that Whitehead drew a firearm first, according to Nashville.gov, and Branch produced his own, shooting and eventually killing Whitehead.

That’s a fairly normal story. However, Branch added a level of confusion after the fact that would make any casual reader perk their ears up, let alone a professional investigator.

Branch reportedly fled before police arrived. Not only that, but Branch then admitted that he discarded the gun he used behind an apartment building upon his escape from the scene of the shooting. It hadn’t been recovered at the time of Nashville’s report.

Branch has been charged with “felon in possession of a weapon and evidence tampering,” according to Nashville’s website. The investigation into the fatal shooting was continuing at the time of the report.