Aug 13 2008
Shooting at Dem HQ
Breaking News: Shooting At State Democratic Party Headquarters
Bill Gwatney(Little Rock, Ark.) KTHV — Little Rock police are on the scene of a shooting on West Capitol Street at the state Democratic party headquarters. The Arkansas Democratic Party says the chairman, Bill Gwatney, is hospitalized in critical condition after incident. Little Rock police say a suspect in the shooting was shot after after a chase that ended near Sheridan in Grant County.
A sales clerk at a flower shop across street from the party headquarters said that around noon, Gwatney’s secretary ran into the shop and asked someone to call 911. She said a man had come into the party headquarters and shot Gwatney several times.
The suspect reportedly entered the party headquarters and asked to speak with Gwatney before firing three shots.
The 1300 block West Capitol was shut down after the shooting, just blocks from the state capitol in downtown Little Rock.
Officers said they pursued a white man in his 40’s that fled the scene in a blue Dodge pickup truck. Police say the suspect was apprehended following a chase that stretched into Grant County, south of Little Rock. Police say the suspect was shot by Arkansas State Police troopers during his capture near Sheridan. The suspect’s condition was not immediately known.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Mr. Gwatney and his family.
Update: CNN reports that the shooting suspect was shot by police and is now dead.
Update #2: CNN reports that Bill and Hillary Clinton have released a statement announcing that Mr. Gwatney has died of his injuries.
Update #3: (This sickens almost as much as the events that unfolded today.) Rabid wingnut screamer Michelle Malkin uses the occasion to aggrandize herself: “I shot the Arkansas Democrat Party chairman.” I wondered how long it would take someone to politicize today’s shootings. Turns out it wasn’t very long.
