Arkansas state Democratic Party Chairman shot dead

*OrbitalPower*

First there was the guy that went into a Clinton office in NH with a bomb strapped to his chest demanding to speak to the senator over mental health care, then there was that guy who shot up a unitarian church because they were "too liberal", now this:

A man recently fired from a Target store barged into the Arkansas Democratic headquarters Wednesday and fatally shot the state party chairman before speeding off in his pickup. Police later shot and killed the suspect after a 30-mile chase.

Police identified the suspect as 50-year-old Timothy Dale Johnson of Searcy, a town about 50 miles northeast of Little Rock. They said that moments after the shooting, Johnson pointed a handgun at a worker at the nearby Arkansas Baptist headquarters. An official there said he told the worker, "I lost my job."

Chairman Bill Gwatney died four hours after the shooting. The 48-year-old former state senator had been planning to travel to the Democratic National Convention later this month as a superdelegate. He had backed Hillary Rodham Clinton but endorsed Barack Obama after she dropped out of the race.

http://www.abcnews.go.com/US/WireSto...5573328&page=1

WarPhalange

Yeah, I'd link this guy to the Clinton Bomber, but not the church guy. These two guys just snapped. They didn't indicate that they were right wing or anything.

Not that it would matter. I can't see Limbaugh or Hannity shooting anybody up, either. If you're crazy, you're crazy, regardless of political leanings.

*OrbitalPower*

True. I would think that to target certain sites like a Clinton campaign office over health care, or to target Gwatney specifically, who was merely a State Chairman, would be for political reasons. However, it could also have been over their "celebrity" or because they hated the government in general, or some similar motive. Perhaps a mod can edit out my last line, beginning with "What's going on...," as the time lapsed for me to be able to do so.

D H

The term crazies is correct. Associating them with the right wing is not. Doing so would be akin to associating John Hinckley, Jr. with the left. His attempted killing of Reagan had nothing to do with politics. It had only to do with garnering publicity -- and being crazy.

drankin

This guy had pointed a gun at a person earlier that day and when asked "what's wrong?" he had replied that he had lost his job. Then ran off and shot the Chairman. With as little as we know, it looks like he associated his loss of a job to the Chairman specifically or the Democratic Party in general. Pointless killing.

WarPhalange

Quote by drankin

This guy had pointed a gun at a person earlier that day

Actually, it was right after the shooting.

drankin

Quote by WarPhalange

Actually, it was right after the shooting.

Yep, I just read another article that said it was after. The article I read yesterday did say it was just before. I think they were going on here-say to be the first with the "news".

Greyhill

I am confused,why the police killed the suspect.He should have been caught alive.
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Arkansas Drug Addiction

WarPhalange

Because the guy had a gun and probably refused to put it down and get on the ground peacefully?

Cops aren't stupid. They won't risk their lives to apprehend someone who clearly wants them dead.

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WarPhalange	Yeah, I'd link this guy to the Clinton Bomber, but not the church guy. These two guys just snapped. They didn't indicate that they were right wing or anything. Not that it would matter. I can't see Limbaugh or Hannity shooting anybody up, either. If you're crazy, you're crazy, regardless of political leanings.

D H Mentor	Arkansas state Democratic Party Chairman shot dead The term crazies is correct. Associating them with the right wing is not. Doing so would be akin to associating John Hinckley, Jr. with the left. His attempted killing of Reagan had nothing to do with politics. It had only to do with garnering publicity -- and being crazy.

drankin	This guy had pointed a gun at a person earlier that day and when asked "what's wrong?" he had replied that he had lost his job. Then ran off and shot the Chairman. With as little as we know, it looks like he associated his loss of a job to the Chairman specifically or the Democratic Party in general. Pointless killing.

Greyhill	I am confused,why the police killed the suspect.He should have been caught alive. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Arkansas Drug Addiction