Top US Politician Shot Dead

By Sky News
Aug. 17, 2008

A US politician has been shot dead by a gunman who stormed into his office in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Bill Gwatney, who was Chairman of the US Democratic Party for Arkansas, sustained multiple bullet wounds to his upper body and died four hours later.

The gunman stormed out of the party headquarters after the shooting and pointed a handgun at another man, telling him: "I've lost my job."

He then fled the scene in a pickup truck and was chased for 25 miles by police, before being shot dead in a firefight with officers.

The motive for the attack is unknown.

Tributes have poured in for Mr Gwatney, the "hard working" and "honourable" chairman, after his death sent shockwaves across his party.

Bill Clinton, who had lived in the Arkansas capital for years while governor, made a joint statement with his wife calling Mr Gwatney a "cherished friend and confidante," adding that they were "stunned and shaken" by the news.

The national party chairman Howard Dean added to the tributes, calling the murder a "senseless act of violence".

He said: "We have lost a good friend and honourable man. Bill will be remembered for his hard work and dedication to the party, and he will be sorely missed."

Democratic presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama reacted swiftly to the shooting, saying he and his wife Michelle were "heartbroken".

The violent attack is the second in several months targeting the Democratic Party, and comes less than two weeks before the party's annual convention.

In November, a man claiming to be armed with a bomb took over US presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton's campaign office in the state of New Hampshire and held five people hostage for more than five hours before surrendering.













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