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By ANDREW DeMILLO, Associated Press Writer 18 minutes ago
Police and neighbors are struggling to explain why a man described as a loner
drove more than 30 miles to Arkansas' Democratic Party headquarters and fatally
shot its chairman hours after getting fired from his job.
Police said Timothy Dale Johnson, 50, of Searcy, barged into Bill Gwatney's
office on Wednesday and shot him multiple times. There were no signs that
Gwatney and Johnson, who was later shot dead by officers, knew each other.
A Target retail store in Conway had fired Johnson early Wednesday because he
had written graffiti on a wall, police said. Before noon, Johnson was in
Gwatney's office in Little Rock with a handgun.
"He said he was interested in volunteering, but that was obviously a lie," said
Sam Higginbotham, a 17-year-old volunteer at the party's headquarters.
After the shooting, Johnson sped away in a truck, stopped seven blocks away at
the Arkansas State Baptist Convention and pointed a gun at the building's
manager, police said. When asked what was wrong, the gunman said "I lost my
job," according to Dan Jordan, the church group's business manager.
Officers chased the suspect to Sheridan, 30 miles south of Little Rock. After
avoiding spike strips and a roadblock, the suspect emerged from his truck and
began shooting at deputies and state troopers, who returned fire. Johnson later
died at a hospital. Police found two guns in the truck.
Little Rock police Lt. Terry Hastings didn't say what the men discussed after
Johnson entered Gwatney's office but said it was not a heated exchange.
"They introduced themselves, and at that time he pulled out a handgun and shot
Chairman Gwatney several times," he said.
Police said they could find no criminal record for Johnson. "If he's got a
record, it's minor," Hastings said.
Because of his position in the state party, Gwatney was a superdelegate to the
Democratic National Convention this month in Denver. He declared his support
for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton after the Arkansas primary in February but
endorsed Barack Obama after Clinton dropped out of the presidential race.
Clinton and her husband, former President and former Arkansas Gov. Bill
Clinton, issued a statement calling Gwatney "not only a strong chairman of
Arkansas' Democratic Party, but ... also a cherished friend and confidante."
Obama said: "Michelle and I are heartbroken to hear about the tragic loss of
Chairman Bill Gwatney. We're praying for his family and friends and all who
worked with him and loved him."
Johnson lived alone and had never been married, said Helen Mowrer, who lived
next door to the gunman. Mowrer said both of Johnson's parents had lived at the
house, but they died in the past 10 years.
Mowrer said Johnson kept to himself. "I never felt really comfortable with
him," Mowrer said. "He was just kind of different."
Another neighbor said investigators visited her home Wednesday to talk about
the suspect. Loretta Jones said her only contact with Johnson had been the
three or four times she complained to him about his dog.
"It makes you wonder what got into somebody to do something so horrible," Jones
said.
According to Conway police spokeswoman Sharen Carter, Target fired Johnson
before 8 a.m. Wednesday because he had written on a wall. A manager had called
police because of the graffiti but the wall had already been cleaned and
Johnson had left by the time officers arrived.
Minnesota-based Target Corp. did not immediately return a phone call seeking
comment.
The state Capitol was locked down for about an hour until police got word the
shooter had been captured, Arkansas State Capitol police Sgt. Charlie Brice
said.
Democratic and Republican party officials said their offices would remain
closed until Monday. A wreath featuring an elephant and donkey figures stood
outside the Democratic headquarters Wednesday evening.
"Bill Gwatney was our friend, our party's leader, and so many times our party's
conscience," the party said in a statement. "Our state and our party are better
for all that Bill Gwatney has done."
Gov. Mike Beebe, a Democrat who served with Gwatney in the state Senate, joined
a vigil at University Hospital after what he called a "shocking and senseless
attack."
Gwatney was Beebe's finance chairman during the 2006 campaign, when Democrats
swept all seven statewide offices.
"Arkansas has lost a great son, and I have lost a great friend," Beebe said.
"There is deep pain in Arkansas tonight because of the sheer number of people
who knew, respected and loved Bill Gwatney."
Karen Ray, executive director of the Republican Party of Arkansas, sent her
workers home after the shooting "out of an abundance of caution."
"He was an admirable Arkansan and gave so much to this state and his party,"
GOP chairman Dennis Milligan said.