Arizona Congresswoman Shooting Stuns Bay Area Lawmakers
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS 5 / AP) -- U.S. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi led a moment of silence at a public event in San Francisco to reflect on the the violent shooting of an Arizona Congresswoman outside a grocery store in Tucson Saturday.
U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, a Democrat, was shot in the head when an assailant opened fire outside a Tucson grocery store during a meeting with constituents, killing at least five people and wounding several others in a rampage that rattled the nation.
Giffords was among at least 10 people wounded, and the hospital said her outlook was "optimistic" and that she was responding to commands from doctors. The hospital said a 9-year-old child was among the killed, and a U.S. Marshal said a federal judge was also fatally shot in the attack.
"Congresswoman Giffords is a brilliant and courageous Member of Congress," Pelosi said. "It is especially tragic that she was attacked as she was meeting with her constituents whom she serves with such dedication and distinction."
The shooting prompted an outpouring of sympathy from politicians and people around the country. President Barack Obama called the shooting "an unspeakable tragedy" and that such "a senseless and terrible act of violence has no place in a free society." Obama sent his FBI director to oversee the investigation into the shooting and suspected gunman Jared Loughner, who recently posted anti-federal government rants online.
Rep. Jackie Speier, D-San Mateo, called Giffords "a very talented, rising star in the Congress" who was "attacked while engaging in one of the most basic activities of public service."
Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, said the family and loved ones of Giffords, as well as her constituents, "will remain in our thoughts and prayers as we continue to learn more about this heinous act of violence."
During the inaugural meeting of the new San Francisco Board of Supervisors, Board President David Chiu requested a moment of silence for the "horrific tragedy" in Arizona.
The University of Arizona postponed its men's basketball game against Stanford scheduled for Saturday afternoon in the wake of the shootings.
School officials said the game was rescheduled for Sunday at 12:30 p.m. MST.
Arizona athletic director Greg Byrne said, "the university feels the game should be delayed with deep respect to the victims and families impacted by this tragedy."
The shooting comes amid a highly charged political environment that has seen several dangerous threats against lawmakers but nothing that reached the point of actual violence.
A San Francisco man upset with then-House Speaker Pelosi's support of health care reform pleaded guilty to threatening the Pelosi and her family, calling her directly on March 25 and threatening to destroy her home if she voted for health care reform.
In July, a California man known for his anger over left-leaning politics engaged in a shootout with highway patrol officers on Interstate 580 in Oakland after planning an attack on the ACLU and another nonprofit group. The man said he wanted to "start a revolution" by killing people at the ACLU and the Tides Foundation.
(© 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
