Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, on January 8, 2011, was meeting constituents in a Tucson, Arizona supermarket when they were savagely attacked by Jared Loughner, 22, who started shooting at them.  Giffords was badly wounded, and six others were killed.  A nine year old girl, an aid for the Democratic lawmaker and U.S. District Judge John Roll, who had just stopped by to see his friend Giffords were among the dead.  Thirteen others beside Giffords were wounded.

Rep. Giffords at the time of this writing, who was shot in the head, is in intensive care fighting for her life.  We pray for her and the others to make a speedy recovery from their injuries.

As deadly as the shooting was it could have been worse but for the heroic actions of several bystanders.

Patricia Maisch knocked a magazine of ammunition from the shooter's hand after he had emptied its first clip of 31 bullets and was attempting to reload.  The shooter managed to get another magazine into the gun but it jammed and wouldn't fire.

Roger Salzgeber and Bill Badjer tackled the shooter during the pause and held him on the ground until law enforcement personnel arrived.  A third, Joseph Zamudio, held the shooter's legs down until deputies could arrive.  It was reported by at least one source someone hit the shooter in the head with a chair during the melee.

Daniel Hernandez, who had been her intern for five days, disregarding his own safety ran to Rep. Giffords and when he reached her applied hand pressure to the head wound.  He also held her upright so that she wouldn't choke, staying with her until the paramedics arrived.  He has been credited with saving her life.

One of Loughner's classmates at Pina College's Northwest campus said he was "obviously very disturbed".  "He disrupted class frequently with nonsensical outbursts", she said.  Other students in their class mirror the same view.  At one point police were called in to monitor the class.

Loughner was suspended from the school and could not return without a letter from a mental health professional saying "his presence at the school does not present a danger to himself or others," according to a statement issued by the college.

Loughner tried to join the Army but was turned down when they found out he smoked pot.  In October 2007, he was cited in Pina County for possession of drug paraphernalia, which was dismissed after he finished a diversion program, according to online records.

According to some psychiatrists Loughner is a schizophrenic, a mental disorder characterized by separation between thought and emotions, by delusions, bizarre behavior, etc.  This behavior has become familiar for suspects in violent rampages:  a loner, short tempered, bitter and grotesque behavior.

Gun owners can expect the inevitable hue and cry from anti-gun politicians wanting to enact ineffective "paper tiger" gun control and prohibition measures that provide society with only the marginal benefit of protecting those of our citizens who are poorly informed to sleep more comfortably at night, that is until they are rudely awakened by a vicious robber or serial rapist.

This terrible crime seems to have been committed by a deranged individual with no known ties to any organization.  As in so many of these rampages, I repeat, it was committed by a person with severe mental problems and a loner, short tempered and very bitter.  Illegal drug use is also a common factor.

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords is a long time gun owner and has been a strong supporter of our Second Amendment Right in the U.S. Congress.  We owe her a great deal of gratitude for all she has done for us.

We offer our heartfelt condolences to all those who were killed or wounded in this terrible event and their families.

God bless all of you.


Jim Butler's Commentaries