Speaking of Hate Related Killing

Authorities still claim to have no known motive for the murder of Arkansas Democratic State Party Chair, Billy Gwatney. A commentor (thanks stormcrow) made the point in my mosque-attack thread, that we will never be able to directly pin these crimes to the likes of Maulken, Coulter, and Limbaugh-- the scum that promote violence as a part of the political process. And mores the pity.

Apparently there was a note with a phone number and Gwatney's name written on it, and the FBI is checking out a computer, but not much of anything else is known at this time.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A computer used by the gunman who killed a state Democratic Party chairman is the last clue to be investigated in the search for his motive, authorities said Monday Timothy Dale Johnson, 50, burst into the Arkansas party headquarters and killed Bill Gwatney on Aug. 13, then was shot and killed by police after a long chase later that day.

Little Rock Police spokesman Lt. Terry Hastings said car keys and a phone number listed on a note found at Johnson's home in Searcy did not turn up any connection between the two men.

"We have everything pretty well figured out except for the computer. ... We've found nothing so far to indicate any motive or reason," Hastings said Monday. "Right now, we've got nothing that points us in any particular direction as to why this happened."

Police did not provide specifics on the investigation of the computer, but have said that the FBI is helping.

The note with the phone number also had the name "Gwatney" on it, but police said it did not match Gwatney's home number or any cell phone number they know of for the slain chairman...

Johnson, who owned at least 16 guns, drove more than 30 miles to Gwatney's office after quitting his job at a Target over graffiti on a store wall.

I think it is clear that things have gotten more than a bit dangerous out there for the reality based community, it is going to be a pretty bumpy ride and one that will continue past 11/4 for certain. I believe the wingnuts will turn more and more to violence as an escape valve for all the cognitive dissonance building up in their system.

There's more...

Bill Gwatney, Murdered in Arkansas Democratic Party Headquarters

Photo from Arkansas Democratic Party website

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.- Police say the 49-year-old chairman of the Arkansas Democratic Party has died hours after being shot by a gunman who burst into the state party headquarters in Little Rock. Police say Chairman Bill Gwatney died four hours after the shooting near the state Capitol. Ark Demillo AP

The police shot and killed the suspect, Tim Johnson, (name not confirmed) after a 30 mile chase. As yet, no motive is known. Johnson came into Party headquarters saying he wanted to volunteer.

If this is more political hate violence then we are in for a worse year than I feared.

Before becoming State Party Chair, Bill Gwatney was a State Senator for 10 years and State Attorney General. He also worked on Mike Beebe's Campaign for Governor of Arkansas in 2006.

Update 1 from Outside the Beltway

Chairman Bill Gwatney died four hour 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 Hillary Clinton superdelegate. Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, issued a statement calling Gwatney -- not only a strong chairman of Arkansas’ Democratic Party, but he is also a cherished friend and confidante.

Unconfirmed reports claim that before the incident the shooter also brandished a weapong outside a baptist convention headquarters in the city.

Update 2- appears the Baptist incident happened just after the shooting. Not before.

There's more...