How very sad. IMHO it must have been what they call a “passion murder.” For someone to shoot another person five times at close range like that usually indicates a real anger about a personal situation of some sort. They want the victim to see them, it is part of their revenge. At least, so I have heard.
I thought it was passion, or that he lost his job (as he stated at the Baptist offices), and Gwatney had been the employer. Had a general idea where the HQ was, went to the Baptist offices first. He didn’t shoot them up. And no others at the HQ.
Hastings said a white man walked into an office at the state Democratic headquarters and fired several shots. Gwatney’s secretary told The Associated Press that the gunman had wanted to speak Gwatney and, after being denied entry, went into the office anyway.
According to police, the man was not a former employee of Gwatney’s.
After the shooting, police chased the driver south on I-530 to U.S. 167 toward Sheridan. That chase ended with an exchange of gunfire between the driver and police..
...
The man fled after the shooting, and police pursued him around 12:10 p.m. as he drove on I-530. The gunman avoided spike strips and a road block placed near Sheridan but was thwarted by Grant County sheriff’s units, who rammed his truck to disable it near Little Creek Road and Highway 46.
Then, according to a Grant County sheriff’s office spokesman, L. Huey, the suspect fired two shots as his truck spun around. Arkansas State Police officers, who also were involved in the pursuit, fired back at him.
http://www2.arkansasonline.com/news/2008/aug/13/police-chasing-after-shooting-democratic-party-hea/
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He wasn’t going to let himself be captured, for sure.