Little Rock police say that 50 year-old Timothy Dale Johnson of Searcy
shot and killed State Democratic Party Chairman Bill Gwatney Wednesday. Police say he was an employee at Target in Conway.
Late Wednesday afternoon, police confirmed that Chairman Gwatney had
died after being shot at party headquarters late Wednesday morning.
Little Rock Police Department spokesman Lt. Terry Hastings said Gwatney died at 3:59 Wednesday afternoon, about four hours after the shooting took place.
Witnesses at the scene told KARK that three shots were fired in the office by a man who had asked to see the chairman.
That suspect was apprehended by police about 30-minutes later outside Little Rock after a police chase that involved State Police and other law enforcement agencies in Grant County.
Hastings also said late Wednesday afternoon that the suspect had gone into another building in downtown Little Rock after the first shooting, where he pointed a gun at a person inside, before leaving and getting into a blue pick-up truck.
That person called police and gave them a description of the vehicle, enabling police to locate the suspect at 7th & Arch, where a pursuit began.
Johnson drove away from officers and continued down MLK Boulevard, where he got onto I-630 and continued on to I-530 into south Pulaski County. When the suspect turned onto Highway 167 into Grant County, a roadblock and a spike strip failed to stop him. When he got out of his vehicle along Little Creek Rd. in Grant County, there was an exchange of gunfire with police and the suspect was killed.
Before becoming State Democratic Party chairman, Gwatney had been a prominent businessman, owning car dealerships. He had also served in the Arkansas Legislature for ten years.
Reaction has been pouring in from across the country and the state to Gwatney's death.
Hillary Clinton and President Bill Clinton issued the following joint statement late Wednesday:
“We are deeply saddened by the news that Bill Gwatney has passed away. His leadership and commitment to Arkansas and this country have always inspired us and those who had the opportunity to know him. Our prayers are with his family during this time.”
Photo taken shortly after shooting:
Printer Friendly Version
