Newspaper Editor Assassinated

The editor of an Oakland newspaper was shot dead in broad daylight today in what police say they believe was a contracted hit, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Chauncey Bailey was a fixture in the African-American community, known for aggressive coverage of issues and confrontational interviews with city officials. But the motives behind his killing remain unknown.

Witnesses said a masked man in dark clothing approached Bailey in downtown Oakland and shot him twice before driving away. Bailey, 57, was a reporter at the Oakland Tribune for 10 years before being fired in 2005 for ethics violations. He was named editor of the weekly Oakland Post, Northern California's largest African-American-run paper, in June. (More murder stories.)