The Shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords
| 23:57 UK time, Saturday, 8 January 2011
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It's Saturday evening in London and I've just read about the Representative Giffords was shot in the head at a public meeting outside a shopping centre in Tucson, Arizona. She is in critical condition, surgeons have said they are optimistic about her recovery. Six others were killed by the gunman including a nine-year-old girl and a federal judge named John Roll. In addition at least 9 more have been wounded in the attack which took place in front of hundreds at the gathering. The shootings immediately raised questions about potential political motives, but officials did not speculate about what might have provoked the shooting. There is, as you can, imagine a massive response to the event across the United States. Some are finger-pointing, others expressing shock and sympathy. Here's a as it unfolds from the New York Times. ÌýAnd here's a round-up of what the US media are saying.
Ms. Giffords, who represents Arizona's Eighth District in the southeastern corner of the state, has been an outspoken critic of Arizona's tough immigration law, which is focused on identifying, prosecuting and deporting illegal immigrants. Judge Roll had been involved in immigration cases and had previously received death threats.
