2011 Tucson shooting

2011 Tucson shooting
Location	Tucson, Arizona, United States
Coordinates	32°20′10″N 110°58′33″W
Date	January 8, 2011 Shortly after 10 a.m. local time (UTC-7)
Attack type	Mass murder, possible assassination attempt
Weapons	Unknown firearm(s)
Deaths	5+
Injured	11
Perpetrator	Unknown

The 2011 Tucson congressional shooting occurred on Saturday, January 8, 2011, when 18 people were reportedly shot in a grocery store parking lot in Tucson, Arizona, in the United States. There is confusion about the number of dead, but figures from four to seven have been reported, including a congressional aide. Among those shot were U.S. Representative for Arizona's 8th congressional district Gabrielle Giffords and former federal judge John McCarthy Roll. Giffords was reportedly shot in the head at close range, but her condition is unclear, as different law enforcement officials and journalists have given differing accounts of the shooting. Members of her staff were also injured.

The shooting occurred at a Safeway grocery store shortly after 10 a.m. The gunman was arrested after the shooting.

Shootings

U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords (D-Arizona

The shooting took place shortly after 10 am when U.S. Representative from Arizona, Gabrielle Giffords, was holding a constituent meeting called "Congress on your Corner", at a Safeway grocery store in Tucson. A witness said he heard "15 to 20 gunshots". Giffords was reportedly shot in the head. It remains uncertain if Giffords was killed in the shooting. Giffords' press secretary reported that the congresswoman remains in surgery and is in fact alive, conflicting with earlier reports from local law enforcement sources, NPR, and CNN saying she has died of her injuries. Reuters and other credible news agencies initially reported that the shot was fatal, but this statement was soon amended to reflect that Giffords is in critical condition. CNN reports that Giffords is currently undergoing surgery for a head wound. A federal judge from Arizona was also among the persons shot, as well as a congressional staffer, according to CNN. According to the local The Arizona Republic newspaper, at least 4 people are dead following the shooting. "The motive for the shooting remains unclear", reports Jason Ogan, the spokesperson of the Pima County Sheriff's Department. At least two other victims with gunshot wounds were transported to the Northwest Medical Center, reports CNN. The condition of the 11 others shot is currently not known while some reports indicate that one congressional staffer of Giffords may have been killed in the shooting.

Aftermath

The Safeway store was closed after the attack. It is located on Ina and Oracle Roads. The gunman, described as a white male in his mid-20s with short hair and “dressed in a shabby manner", was arrested after being detained by bystanders.

Reactions

U.S. House Speaker John Boehner reportedly replied that he was "horrified" in response to the shooting, stating that: "An attack on one who serves is an attack on all who serve," he said. "Acts and threats of violence against public officials have no place in our society." President Barack Obama said the event was an "unspeakable tragedy".

Investigation

The FBI has reportedly taken over the investigation of the shooting. Jason Ogan, the spokesperson of the Pima County Sheriff's Department, has stated that "the motive for the shooting remains unclear".