'Person of interest' in homicide calls KTUU before being taken into custody

"I'm calling because I want to set the record straight, to give my side of it," said Carl Tarkington, a man police wished to speak with after a man was shot and killed on Jan 13.

Tarkington, one of the two men police sought as "persons of interest" in the weekend death, reached out to the media with his version of events on the night of the shooting. Hours later,

In a phone call with KTUU Tuesday morning, Tarkington said he was there the night that

According to Tarkington, the incident occurred both inside and outside of his home. He told KTUU that Brown was trying to break into his house when his roommate, and other "person of interest," Aarron Settje, opened fire, shooting him through the front door.

Police wanted to speak with both men, and arrested Tarkington Tuesday evening on a felony warrant for assault with a weapon in a case unrelated to Brown's death.

Settje, who police have not yet located, is wanted for three outstanding warrants including felony assault, theft, and failure to appear in court.

Tarkington said the incidents on Jan. 13, the night Brown was killed, began when he heard yelling and banging on the garage door of his home.

Outside, Tarkington claims, was Brown's girlfriend, who claimed Tarkington had called her, saying he wanted to "beat her up." He says he tried to get her to leave but she refused.

From there, Tarkington says one of his roommates came outside and got into a fight with Brown's girlfriend. After the fight, he says they went back inside and heard a loud sound.

"About five minutes later, there's a big bang, like somebody took a shot, like somebody shot my garage door," Tarkington said.

Tarkington said they called 911, and soon after, someone started pounding on the front door and smashing their windows. He then says he heard Brown yelling for them to come outside.

According to Tarkington, he and Brown used to be friends, but weren't very close in recent years. He said he didn't know why Brown's girlfriend came to his home that night.

Once Brown started banging the front door and shouting, Tarkington claims, his roommate Aarron Settje woke up and came downstairs holding a gun. He then allegedly called out to those behind the front door.

"Aarron said, 'Stop kicking the door, I have a gun.' He said that same phrase four times, and [Brown] kept kicking the door," Tarkington said.

"I said, 'Aarron, if that door flies open, there's no telling what they're going to do.' So, Aarron said, 'If that door flies open, I'm opening fire.' I said, 'Hey, do what you gotta do.'"

Tarkington said Settje told Brown one more time to get away from the door, or else he would shoot, and Brown responded by saying "f--- you" and kicking the door again.

After that, according to Tarkington, Settje shot four times through the front door. Tarkington said they opened the door and saw Brown, his girlfriend, and another man who was with them fleeing from the front door. Settje then fired another three rounds into the air, Tarkington said.

Tarkington fled the scene, because he said he has an outstanding warrant and did not want to be associated with the shooting. He said he doesn't know what happened next.

"I have no idea what Aarron did with the gun, I don't know where he went, I just saw me getting the hell away from here," Tarkington said.

On Tuesday morning, Tarkington told KTUU that he planned to turn himself in for the outstanding warrant and tell police what he says happened on the night that Brown was killed. He was arrested hours later.

According to Detective Ross Henikman with the Anchorage Police Department, who is working on this case, Tarkington refused to surrender.

"I spoke with [Tarkington] today, and offered a number of ways for him to turn himself in, but as of this morning he declined those options," Henikman said Tuesday afternoon.

Henikman said that APD is still working on investigating the case, but that the investigation may take some more time, as "a lot of people don't tell the truth."

Henikman said that because he spoke with Tarkington and not Settje, they "only have one side of the story."

Henikman could not comment on confidential information to the case, but did say that only the two men were being sought as "persons of interest," and not either of Tarkington's female roommates, or Brown's girlfriend.

Nora Morse, a spokesperson with APD, said, "Investigators believe they may have information about what happened that evening."

Police are still looking to talk to Settje, and waiting for him to turn himself in. In a written statement Tuesday night, police said Tarkington was remanded on existing warrants after being located by APD.