Politics

Rep. Giffords Shot in the Head, Condition Unknown

By Sunlight Foundation & Participatory Politics Foundation

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords [D, AZ-8] was shot in the head today while appearing at a public even in Tuscon, Arizona. At the time of this writing, 2:50 p.m. ET, reports are conflicting as to her condition. Some outlets have reported that she has been killed, while other say she remains in critical condition. [UPDATE, 3:17: KOLD News out of Tuscon reports Giffords is alive and in surgery.]

NPR describes what happened:

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.

Giffords was talking to a couple when the suspect ran up and fired indiscriminately from about four feet away, Michaels said.

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.

Giffords was transported to University Medical Center in Tucson.

At least 17 others were shot in the incident and 5 have been confirmed dead, including an aide to Giffords and a federal judge. Our thoughts are with Giffords and the other victims of this awful tragedy.

Full post as published by Open Congress on January 08, 2011 (boomark / email).