NYT: 2nd Suspect Sought in Arizona Shooting

[tekisui]

Source: New York Times

TUCSON —Representative Gabrielle Giffords, an Arizona Democrat, and 18 others were shot Saturday morning when a gunman opened fire outside a supermarket where Ms. Giffords was meeting with constituents.

A 22-year-old suspect was in custody, law enforcement officials said. But at a Saturday evening news conference, investigators said they were looking for an accomplice who may have helped the gunman.

Six of the victims died. The Pima County sheriff, Clarence W. Dupnik, said among those killed were John M. Roll, the chief judge for the United States District Court for the District of Arizona, and a 9-year-old girl.

Ms. Giffords, 40, who the authorities said was the target of the attack, was said to be in very critical condition at the University Medical Center in Tucson, where she was operated on by a team of neurosurgeons. Dr. Peter Rhee, medical director of the hospital’s trauma and critical care unit, said that she had been shot once in the head, “through and through,” with the bullet going through her brain.

President Obama said at a news conference that the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Robert S. Mueller III, was on his way to Arizona to oversee the investigation.

Richard Kastigar, a supervisor with the Sheriff’s Department, said the gunman was 22 years old. Investigators identified him as Jared Lee Loughner.

The authorities were seen entering the house of someone by that name about five miles from the shooting scene, an unincorporated area north of Tucson. The shootings raised questions about potential political motives, though officials did not speculate about what might have provoked the attack. Nevertheless, there were immediate reverberations as Democrats decried the fierce partisan atmosphere in Ms. Gifford’s district and top Republicans quickly condemned any outbreaks of violence.

Mark Kimble, an aide to Ms. Giffords, said the shooting occurred about 10 a.m., in a small area between an American flag and an Arizona flag. He said he went into the store for coffee, and as he came out the gunman was walking up and started firing.

Ms. Giffords had just been talking to a couple about Medicare and reimbursements, when the gunman walked up and shot Judge Roll, Mr. Kimble said. He added that the judge walked up to Giffords and shouted "Hi," and then the shooting began.

(snip)

At a news conference Saturday evening, Sheriff Dupnik said there was "some reason to believe" that the suspect in custody did not act alone. Officials said they were seeking a second suspect: a 50-year-old, white male.

The sheriff said the suspected shooter “has kind of a troubled past” and had come to the attention of law enforcement before.

more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/us/politics/09giffords.html?hp

[gateley]

1. Check out this statement from Sherif Dupnik (and I think many people would

agree with him, thanks to Jan Brewer):

“The anger, the hatred, the bigotry that goes on in this country is getting to be outrageous. And unfortunately, I think Arizona has become sort of the capital, we have beome the Mecca for prejudice and bigotry,” he said. “There’s reason to believe that this individual might have a mental issue, and I think that people who are unbalanced might be especially susceptible to vitriol.”

[Barack_America]

2. Reuters is reporting he made prior death threats, not to Giffords.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN0824904120110109?pageNumber=2

Will be interesting to find out who the threats were against.

ETA: Oh and was STILL able to legally buy a gun in November.

[gateley]

3. I read that the gun was purchased illegally -- maybe the one he used? Or it's

part of the "the first news out is always wrong" rule of thumb. I just got home from work and read a WaPo e-mail that she had died, but then I saw the time on it and realized it was from earlier when that report seemed to be making the rounds.

[Barack_America]

4. AP is reporting that the gun was legally purchased this past November. nt

[gateley]

5. That may be the most recent, accurate report then. Thanks. nt