2011 Tucson shooting

2011 Tucson shooting
First responders at the crime scene outside the Casas Adobes Safeway
LocationCasas Adobes, Arizona, near Tucson
Coordinates32°20′9.5″N 110°58′30.5″W / 32.335972°N 110.975139°W / 32.335972; -110.975139
DateJanuary 8, 2011; 13 years ago (2011-01-08)
10:10 a.m. MST (UTC−07:00)
TargetU.S. Representative Gabby Giffords
Attack type
Mass shooting, mass murder, assassination attempt
WeaponsGlock 19 semi-automatic pistol with a 33-round magazine[1][2][3][4][5][6]
Deaths6 (including federal judge John Roll)
Injured15 (including the perpetrator; 13 by gunfire, including Giffords)
PerpetratorJared Lee Loughner
DefendersBill Badger
Patricia Maisch
Roger Salzgeber
MotiveAnti-government sentiment, hatred of Gabby Giffords

On January 8, 2011, United States Representative Gabby Giffords and 18 others were shot during a constituent meeting held in a supermarket parking lot in Casas Adobes, Arizona, in the Tucson metropolitan area. Six people were killed, including federal District Court Chief Judge John Roll; Gabe Zimmerman, one of Giffords's staffers; and a nine-year-old girl, Christina-Taylor Green.[7][8][9][10][11] Giffords was holding a meeting called "Congress on Your Corner" in the parking lot of a Safeway store when Jared Lee Loughner drew a pistol and shot her through the head at point-blank range before proceeding to fire on others.[8][9] One additional person was injured in the immediate aftermath of the shooting.[12] News reports identified the target of the attack to be Giffords, a Democrat representing Arizona's 8th congressional district.[8] Giffords's medical condition was initially described as "critical".[8][9]

Loughner, a 22-year-old Tucson man who was fixated on Giffords, was arrested at the scene.[13] Federal prosecutors filed five charges against him, including the attempted assassination of a member of Congress and the assassination of a federal judge.[10][14][15] Loughner previously had been arrested once (but not convicted) on a minor drug charge[16] and had been suspended by his college for disruptive behavior. Court filings include notes handwritten by Loughner indicating he planned to assassinate Giffords.[14] Loughner did not cooperate with authorities, invoking his right to remain silent.[9] He was held without bail and indicted on 49 counts. In January 2012, Loughner was found by a federal judge to be incompetent to stand trial based on two medical evaluations, which diagnosed him with paranoid schizophrenia.[17] On August 7, Loughner had a hearing in which he was judged competent. He pleaded guilty to 19 counts, and in November 2012 was sentenced to life in prison.

Following the shooting, American and international politicians expressed grief and condemnations. Gun control advocates pushed for increased restrictions on the sale of firearms and ammunition, specifically high-capacity magazines.[18] Some commentators criticized the use of harsh political rhetoric in the U.S., with a number blaming the political right wing for the shooting. In particular, Sarah Palin was criticized for a poster by her political action committee that featured stylized crosshairs on an electoral map that included Giffords. Palin rejected claims that she bore any responsibility for the shooting.[19][20] President Barack Obama led a nationally televised memorial service on January 12, and other memorials took place.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference nyt20110114 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Grimaldi, James V.; Kunkle, Fredrick (January 9, 2011). "Gun used in Tucson was purchased legally; Arizona laws among most lax in nation". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on July 20, 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
  3. ^ Kim, Susanna (January 11, 2011). "Glock 19: How did Unemployed Jared Loughner Buy Popular, Expensive Pistol?". ABC News. Archived from the original on July 28, 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
  4. ^ Feldmann, Linda (January 10, 2011). "Why Jared Loughner was allowed to buy a gun". The Christian Science Monitor. Archived from the original on July 28, 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference wapo20110112 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference cbs20110112 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference azcentral2011-01-08-optimistic was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference LaceyHerszenhorn2011-01-09 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference CNN2011-01-08 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ a b "Criminal Complaint Against Jared Lee Loughner". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 15, 2012. Retrieved January 10, 2011.
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference CBS-20110110-linked was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference WP-20110114-victims was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference Kanalley2011-01-08 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference I planned was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ Cite error: The named reference Lacey2011-01-09 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  16. ^ "Jared Lee Loughner, suspect in Gabrielle Giffords shooting, had college run-ins" Archived January 18, 2023, at the Wayback Machine azcentral.com, January 9, 2011. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
  17. ^ Cite error: The named reference competence was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  18. ^ Cite error: The named reference gun_control was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  19. ^ Cite error: The named reference rhetoric was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  20. ^ Cite error: The named reference NYT_Zeleny was invoked but never defined (see the help page).