Gunman Kills Arkansas Democratic Party Chief

By Dustin Lushing,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 13, 2008 3:21 PM CDT
Gunman Kills Arkansas Democratic Party Chief
In this June 23, 2007, photo, Arkansas' Democratic Party Chairman Bill Gwatney addresses his party's state convention in North Little Rock, Ark.    (AP Photo/Danny Johnston, File)

A gunman entered Democratic party headquarters in Little Rock, Ark., this afternoon and fatally shot state party chairman Bill Gwatney. No motive is known, but early reports suggest the shooting was not related to politics, the Arkansas Times reports. The 50-year-old suspect is dead after being shot during a 30-mile chase with police. It's unclear whether police shot him or he shot himself.

Police are trying to confirm that the shooter is a former employee of one of the car dealerships that Gwatney owns in the area, the Times notes. The shooter asked for Gwatney by name, then shot him three times in the upper body. (More Arkansas stories.)

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