Clintons shocked and saddened after politician friend and confidant is shot dead at party HQ

Bill Gwatney, chairman of the Arkansas Democratic party, died four hours after being shot three times at the state's party HQ in Little Rock.

The man suspected of being the killer, named today as Timothy Dale Johnson, fled in his pick-up truck but was shot dead by police after a 30-mile chase.

Democratic Party Chairman Bill Gwatney (left) was shot three times at the Arkansas State Democratic Party Headquarters by jobless man Timothy Johnson

Police said that moments after shooting Mr Gwatney, 48, yesterday, Johnson pointed a handgun at a worker at a nearby Baptist church HQ, and said: 'I lost my job.'

Johnson, 50, of Searcy, a town about 50 miles from Little Rock, had been fired from a Target store 30 miles from Little Rock because he had written graffiti on a shop wall, police said.

Mrs Clinton and her husband Bill, the former president and Arkansas governor, issued a statement saying Mr Gwatney was 'not only a strong chairman of Arkansas' Democratic Party, but also a cherished friend and confidant'.

Witnesses said the gunman entered the party offices shortly before midday and said he wanted to see MrGwatney.

'He said he was interested in volunteering, but that was obviously a lie,' said 17-year-old party volunteer Sam Higginbotham.

He said that when the suspect was refused a meeting with Mr Gwatney, he pushed past employees to reach the chairman's office.

Little Rock police spokesman Lieutenant Terry Hastings said the suspect and Mr Gwatney introduced themselves to one another, at which time the suspect 'pulled out a handgun and shot Gwatney several times'.

Lt Hastings did not say what the two discussed, but said their discussion was not heated.

Bill and Hilary Clinton said Mr Gwatney was a 'cherished friend and confidant'

Mr Gwatney, a former state senator, had been planning to travel to the Democratic National Convention this month as a superdelegate.

He had backed Hillary Clinton but endorsed Barack Obama after she dropped out of the race.

After the suspect avoided a roadblock, police rammed his truck, spinning it, said Grant County Sheriff Lance Huey. He got out of his vehicle and began shooting, and state police and sheriff 's deputies fired back, striking him several times, Sheriff Huey said.

Investigators found at least two handguns in the suspect's car.