KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A man who founded a nonprofit in Kansas City, Missouri, that aimed to prevent re-incarceration is accused of gunning down a victim on July 14.
Na'im Al-Amin is charged with second-degree murder, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon in the death of Todd Tillman.
Al-Amin is the founder and CEO of SWAGG INC., a nonprofit designed to prevent people from going back to prison after being released.
SWAGG INC did so by promoting “ownership by developing Returning Citizens through education, employment, and entrepreneurship,” according to its website.
Tillman’s death
Just after 9 a.m. on the morning of his death, emergency medical services located Tillman suffering from gun shot wounds in the 1300 block of East 81st Terrace. He died at the scene.
During the investigation, detectives reviewed surveillance video from a residence in the area, according to court documents.
The video showed Tillman walking up to the home early that morning about 1:52 a.m. and asking for help.
Tillman later walked to the back of the home and collapsed.
Investigation into Tillman’s death
Detectives later discovered that around time Tillman died, officers responded to the area near Troost Avenue and East 83rd Street on reports of shots fired.
Responding officers contacted a witness at a home in the area, who said she was there with another woman when they heard two gunshots.
The witness said she looked outside and saw a man holding a gun with a blue laser. She told police it looked like he was coming toward her, so she ran inside the home.
Police located two spent shell casings, but did not locate any blood or other evidence.
The day after Tillman’s murder, a second witness came forward and told police she was at the scene when the killing happened.
During an interview with detectives, the woman said she knew Tillman for about six years.
The woman identified Al-Amin as the suspect, and told police he was the founder of the nonprofit SWAGG INC.
She told police she'd met Al-Amin five years ago, and had recently introduced Al-Amin to Tillman.
On the night of the killing, the woman told police that Al-Amin invited her over to his home.
Once she entered his home, the woman said Al-Amin pointed a gun at her and forced her to take him to Tillman's home.
They arrived at Tillman's home and he wasn't there, but shared his location with the woman.
The woman and Al-Amin drove to the location where Al-Amin got out of the vehicle while it was still moving and pulling into a driveway.
She told investigators she saw Al-Amin armed with a gun that had a blue laser on it.
Al-Amin and Tillman got into a scuffle before the woman said she heard gun shots.
After the gun shots, the woman got into her car and Al-Amin followed her.
He allegedly forced her to drive him to the Missouri River, where the woman said Al-Amin disposed of his gun and phone.
Detectives showed the woman a photo of Al-Amin, whom she identified as the shooter and man who forced her to drive him around.
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