Arkansas party leader shot dead

[babsbunny]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7559794.stm

The chairman of the Arkansas Democratic Party has died after being shot by a gunman at the US state's party HQ, Bill and Hillary Clinton's office has said.

Bill Gwatney, 49, was reportedly shot three times after the gunman barged his way into his office near the state capitol building in Little Rock.

The suspected gunman was shot during a police chase and died, the Associated Press news agency reports.

Democratic Party chairman Howard Dean said it was a "senseless tragedy".

"We are deeply saddened by the news that Bill Gwatney has passed away," the Clintons said in a joint statement.

The couple lived for years in the Arkansas capital of Little Rock while former President Bill Clinton was governor of the state.

Barack Obama, who competed with Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination to run for US president in November, also said he was "shocked and saddened" by news of the shooting.