US Congresswoman shot in Arizona

A US member of Congress from Arizona was shot and seriously wounded on Saturday by a man.


Reuters January 09, 2011

TUCSON, ARIZONA: A US member of Congress from Arizona was shot and seriously wounded on Saturday by a man who opened fire at a meeting she was holding in Tucson.

Latest reports say that six people, including a judge, had died in the shooting incident.

Gabrielle Giffords, a 40-year-old Democrat in her third term in the US House of Representatives, was airlifted to a hospital in Tucson, Arizona  shortly after being shot in the head at point blank range at a Safeway supermarket.

“She is currently in surgery. She’s alive,” University Medical Centre spokeswoman Darci Slaten told Reuters. “She was shot in the head,” Slaten later told CNN. Slaten added that nine others were being treated, all of them in critical or serious condition. One of the wounded was a child.

News reports said the suspected gunman was in custody. There was no word on his motives.

Giffords was hosting a “Congress on Your Corner” event – public gatherings to give her constituents a chance to talk directly with her - when attacked from about four feet away, NPR said.

It said the suspect tried to run away but was tackled by a bystander. Andrea Gooden, an eyewitness, told Fox News that she heard about 15 consecutive gunshots.

Re-elected in the Nov 2 midterm elections, Giffords has focused on immigration reform, military issues, stem cell research and alternative energy while in Congress. She is married to US astronaut Mark Kelly. Reuters

Published in The Express Tribune, January 9th, 2011.

COMMENTS (13)

Laila mandviwalla | 13 years ago | Reply @maria: here's a flipside for you, please read a thought provoking and important book by fareed zakaria 'the post American world' with particular reference to chapter 2. Indeed it is grand to hold our heads high, we deserve the reputation we build, does that make stereotyping justified? I think NOT.
G.Din | 13 years ago | Reply @Laila Mandviwalla "...if he were a muslim this would have totally been blasted out of proportion. " Have you ever felt so deeply curious as to ask yourself the question: why is that so? Might that have to do with something called "association". Every horrible event, every wicked deed, or most of them, is somehow "associated" with a Muslim, that is why. If there is another horrible event, another wicked deed our minds subconsciously go with the lessons already learnt. Earning and then keeping a good reputation is hard work but, oh, it is so nice to walk bright-eyed and tall!
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