In 2009, another gun nut showed up where Rep Giffords was speaking (at another Safeway) & dropped

[Kalyke]

his gun!!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/10/gabrielle-giffords-town-h_n_255656.html

Town hall disruptions around the country have led to some outbreaks of violence. Unions participating in town halls have received death threats. At an event held by Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) last week, the threat of violence led her aides to call the police after one attendee dropped a gun.
"Yelling and screaming is counterproductive," she told the Sierra Vista Herald at a Congress on Your Corner event last week. There, one visitor dropped a gun at the meet n' greet held in a Douglas Safeway, her staff says.

[xchrom]

1. recommend

[lapfog_1]

2. I was there when it happened.

Not to much was made of it except for the danger of the gun going off.

However, there were a large number of armed tea baggers protesting at the event (a dozen or so from the 60 that were bussed in). At least one was shouting racial slurs at some hispanic americans that were in the line with me to meet the congresswoman. People who have lived in that area for more than 10 generations (the US purchased this area from Mexico in 1853.

[renate]

3. oh my gosh, really?

It must be, um, odd to live in a state where a gun being dropped at a political event isn't made too much of. Were you scared? It must be extra surreal for you to be hearing about today's shooting considering that you were at an event like that, full of angry people, before.