A 17-year-old volunteer at the party's headquarters said the suspect, 50-year-old Timothy Dale Johnson. asked to speak to Gwatney saying he wanted to volunteer. After being told he could not see him Johnson forced his way paste employees and barged into Gwatney's office. The two introduced themselves to each other then Johnson pulled his weapon and fired several shots fatally wounding the chairman.
According to police Johnson then drove about seven blocks were he stooped at the Arkansas State Baptist Convention and pointed his weapon at the building manager saying "I lost my job" then sped away. Apparently he had been fired earlier in the day from his job at Target for writing graffiti on a store wall. The police were called to the store because of the graffiti but Johnson had left before they arrived.
The shooting was followed by a 30 mile chase, A police spokesman said officers fired shots at the suspect during the chase which came to an end in Grant county. At this point Arkansas state police and Little Rock police fired additional shots at the suspect who died as a result of the injuries.
A party statement released said
"Bill Gwatney was our friend, our party's leader, and so many times our party's conscience," and "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, made the followingstatement:
"Arkansas has lost a great son, and I have lost a great friend, There is deep pain in Arkansas tonight because of the sheer number of people who knew, respected and loved Bill Gwatney."
The FBI is assisting the Arkansas state police in the investigation.
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