Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords Shot Outside Tucson Grocery Store

Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords shot outside a Safeway grocery store in Tucson while holding public event, gunman in police custody.

BREAKING: Conflicting news reports say Arizona Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, 40, is among the people shot and killed after a gunman, who is now in police custody, opened fire Saturday morning outside a Safeway grocery store in Tucson, as she held a public event, Fox News reports. CNN is reporting that 12 people, including Giffords, have been victims of a multiple shooting in north Tucson. There are reports that she was shot at point blank range. The shooting occurred shortly after 10 a.m. MST, a spokesman for the sheriff's office said. KVOA is reporting that six people are dead. Wow. This is sad. Really sad. Stay tuned. More to follow.

UPDATE#1:  A 21 year old male is in police custody. Giffords is in serious condition and is currently in surgery. A child is also in critical or serious condition as a result of the shooting.

UPDATE#2: Well, what do you know? Giffords' name was on Sarah Palin's so-called target list for her support of the health care reform bill. At the time, Ms. Palin's Facebook page carried an actual map of the USA with gun marks on the locations of the 20 politicans she was “targeting.” At this point, it isn't clear if this shooting, in which a federal judge was also wounded, was politically motivated, but this is further proof that instead of fomenting discord and tensions, it is time for us to learn to have a constructive discussion about our political differences. Not come out with a target list, knowing that people on the fringe, hellbent on inflicting harm, will take this as a call to arms.


UPDATE#3: President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner have issued statements decrying this senseless act of violence against the congresswoman, her staff and the people who attended the public event. The president's statement confirmed that a number of people have been killed.