From an NPR news article. There has been a shooting in Tucson Arizona at a political rally held by Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords:
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head by a gunman at a public event in Tucson on Saturday. There are conflicting reports about whether she was killed.Here is a report on BoingBoing that Giffords is still alive but in surgery:
The Pima County, Ariz., sheriff's office told member station KJZZ the 40-year-old Democrat was killed. A hospital spokesperson said Giffords was in surgery.
At least nine other people, including members of her staff, were injured.
Giffords, who was re-elected to a third term in November, was hosting a "Congress on Your Corner" event at a Safeway in northwest Tucson when a gunman ran up and started shooting, according to Peter Michaels, news director of Arizona Public Media.
The suspect fired indiscriminately from about four feet away, Michaels said. A congressional official told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity that the gunman was using an automatic weapon.
The suspect ran off and was tackled by a bystander. He was taken into custody. Witnesses described him as in his late teens or early 20s.
UPDATE, 11:59AM PT: Tucson, AZ University Medical Center on CNN: Gifford is alive, and in surgery. "I can confirm that she was shot in the head," said a hospital spokesperson. Among the shooting victims in critical condition, one child was shot.When you preach hate, your harvest hate. I pity Americans if their country descends into the hell of political terrorism where nutty right wing Republicans decide to "finish off" their opponents not using ballot boxes but by bullets.
Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) was among the estimated 15 or more victims of a shooting outside a Safeway store in Tucson, Arizona within the past hour. So far, 15 are reported wounded, 6 dead. Details are still coming in, but what has been reported so far: she was "shot point blank in the head," the assailant(s) fired some 15 or more shots into the crowd, and this took place at a "town hall" sort of event during where Giffords was speaking to her constituents. One shooter is reported to be alive and in custody.
Here's Sarah Palin's way to handle politicians she doesn't like. Notice the broad hint using gun sights to encourage her "followers" to "take out" those she doesn't like:
Huffington Post has good coverage with a live blog that is giving timely updates.
The major local newspaper is the Arizona Daily Star has a headlines page that is being updated as news comes in. They have links to press conferences. Here is their main news story about the shooting.
Paul Krugman has a post on his NY Times blog about the assassination attempt. As usual, he provides an excellent perspective.
2 comments:
Stupidity abounds.
Kanna:
Apparently this is an unhinged person who got swept up in the right wing rhetoric. He does have a criminal past:
The gunman has been identified as 22-year-old Jared Loughner, according to The Associated Press.
Loughner has had at least two minor run-ins with police, according to online court records.
In October 2007, he was cited by the Pima County Sheriff's Department for possession of drug paraphernalia, a charge that was dismissed in November 2007 when he completed a diversion program.
One year later, in October 2008, Loughner was charged with a "local charge" in Marana Municipal Court. That charge was also dismissed following the completion of a diversion program in March 2009.
Court records indicate the Marana case file is due to be purged in December 2013. It's unclear what the exact charge was. From Arizona Daily Star
and...
In a youtube.com video dated Dec. 15, entitled “Introduction: Jared Loughner” the accused gunman describes himself as a U.S. military recruit who had applied to join the Army. The Army, however, said it rejected Lougher as a recruit in 2008.
Loughner’s youtube video makes a rambling mention of “MEPS in Phoenix” a reference to the Military Entrance Processing Station in the state capital that all Arizona recruits from every branch of service pass through before leaving for basic training. From Arizona Daily Star
The rabid right in the US should show sorrow and stop their outrageous attacks on the right. Democracy works only with people of good will who are willing to come together and compromise. Sadly, the Republican right in the US shows no willingness to compromise, no willingness to stop the propaganda and lies. Even in the face of a tragedy like this, they are not willing to go beyond crocodile tears. They will not back off their agenda to destroy the US through policies to cut taxes for the rich while destroying all social programs for the middle and working classes in the US. Tragic.
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