Leading Hollywood publicist shot dead

A LEADING Hollywood publicist was shot dead in her car after attending a film premiere in Beverley Hills.

Ronni Chasen collapsed at the wheel of her luxury car which careered into a lamppost near Sunset Boulevard.

Ms Chasen was shot in the chest several times in Tuesday's attack that has stunned Hollywood, where she was a widely respected figure after promoting the Oscar-winning film Driving Miss Daisy and other major films and stars.

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Police have no motive or suspects and said no threats had been reported against 64-year-old Ms Chasen. The mystery deepened later in the day when police seized computers from her firm, Chasen and Co.

Fellow publicist Howard Bragman called the killing bizarre. "She wasn't a shady character," he said. "It's a small community and she was one of the fixtures in it."

Witnesses said they heard gunshots in the quiet Beverley Hills district and called the police.

"I heard the gunshots, ran up to the window, and there was the back of the car," said Nahid Schekarchian, who lives in an apartment above the crash site.

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She said her son and a neighbour ran down to the car and found Ms Chasen, who was struggling to breathe and bleeding from her nose and chest. The front passenger's window was shattered.

The killing took place after Ms Chasen attended the premiere of the movie Burlesque, starring Cher and Christina Aguilera, the soundtrack of which she is believed to have been pushing for an Oscar nomination.

Ms Chasen "was at our premiere last night and so full of her trademark energy and love of life", said Amy Pascal, co-chair of Screen Gems owner Sony Pictures. "We are heartbroken, shocked and completely devastated."

She also was working with 20th Century Fox on a supporting actor Oscar campaign for Michael Douglas in Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps.

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