Congresswoman shot dead, eight others wounded

(UPDATE, 5:12 p.m.: Rep. Giffords has been operated on and is expected to recover. I’d like to know how the false story that she was dead got started. Did someone say to a reporter, “I think she’s dead,” and the reporter went with that?)

(UPDATE, 3:13 p.m.: Karl D. writes: “The facts are coming fast and furious with this story. FOX news just reported that she is NOT dead but in critical condition and in surgery as I write this.”)

Fox News reports:

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Arizona, was fatally shot in the head at close range by a gunman Saturday morning outside a grocery store in Tucson while holding a public event, Fox News has confirmed.

Eight others were shot, including three of the Arizona Democrat’s aides, at Giffords’ “Your Corner” event held at a Safeway grocery story. A suspect is in custody.

The three staffers who were shot worked out of Giffords’ Arizona office.

Giffords has held multiple “Your Corner” events over the past four years, the aide told Fox News, adding that she had held three previous events that this venue before.

In November, Giffords was re-elected to her third term as representative of Arizona’s 8th Congressional District. She is married to astronaut Mark Kelly.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at January 08, 2011 02:41 PM | Send