Feds Charged Loughner With Five Counts, Two Homicides And Three Attempted Homicides In Congresswoman Giffords Shooting

Jared Lee Loughner

Photo: Pima County Sheriff's Department

22-year-old lone shooter to be charged on Monday in Phoenix

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 10, 2011

Phoenix, Arizona - On Sunday, United States Attorney for the District of Arizona, Dennis K. Burke, announced that his office filed a federal complaint against Jared Lee Loughner, 22. Loughner was charged with five federal counts, two homicides and three attempted homicides and is expected to appear in federal court in Phoenix on Monday afternoon in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Lawrence Anderson at the Sandra Day O’Connor Courthouse room 302 at 2:00 p.m. Mountain time. Judge Anderson will set dates for both a preliminary hearing and a detention hearing. Loughner remains in federal custody, according to Burke.
Loughner is facing federal homicide charges for the murder of U.S. District Chief Judge John M. Roll, 63, and Gabe Zimmerman, 30, a federal employee and Community Outreach Director for Congresswoman Gabrielle "Gabby" Giffords from Arizona. He is also charged with the attempted homicide of Congresswoman Giffords, 40, and her two staffers and federal employees Pam Simon and Ron Barber, Giffords Deputy Director.
The U.S. Attorney's Office in the District of Arizona is preparing an indicment to present to a grand jury. The grand jury has 30 days to review and issue an indictment.
On Saturday, Giffords from the Southern Arizona 8th District was shot around 10:00 a.m. in the head while holding an outdoor presentation with constituents at a Safeway grocery store. At least 20 people were shot, including six victims that were reported killed. Two of the victims were identified as U.S. District Chief Judge John M. Roll, 63, and a 9-year old Christine Taylor Greene, according to the U.S. Marshal's Service in Tucson.
Loughner, the lone suspect walked up to Giffords and shot her in the left side of her head with a .9mm handgun critically injuring her. He then turn to those in the immediate area and began to randomly shoot at those close to Giffords.
Authorities identified the following victims that were also killed on Saturday as Gabe Zimmerman, 30, Giffords Community Outreach Director, Dorwin Stoddard, 76, Dorthy Morris, 76, and Phyllis Schneck, 79. Two of Giffords staffers were injured, Ron Barber, Giffords Deputy Director and Pam Simon.
Loughner is also facing four homicide and 14 attempted homicide charges in the state of Arizona.

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Arizona Congresswoman Giffords Critically Injured, Six Dead And 20 Shot By 22-year-old Lone Gunman

Congresswoman Gabrielle "Gabby" Giffords

Jared Lee Loughner

U.S. District Chief Judge John Roll and 9-year-old girl among the dead

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 8, 2011

Tucson, Arizona - On Saturday, Congresswoman Gabrielle "Gabby" Giffords, 40, from the Southern Arizona 8th District was shot around 10:00 a.m. in the head while holding an outdoor presentation with constituents at a Safeway grocery store. At least 20 were wounded and six people were reported killed, including U.S. District Chief Judge John M. Roll, 63, and a 9-year-old Christine Taylor Greene, according to the U.S. Marshal's Service in Tucson.
The lone suspect, Jared Lee Loughner, 22, walked up to Giffords and shot her in the head critically injuring her. He then turn to those in the immediate area and began to randomly shoot at those close to Giffords.
Loughner tried to flee from the scene, but was tackled to the ground by one of Giffords staff member. Several other people in the area helped detain Loughner for police. He was taken into custody and a .9mm handgun was recovered at the scene.
Later in the after during a press conference, Dr. Peter Rhee from the University Hospital Medical Center said "I'm very optimistic about recovery" and that Giffords is expected to survive. Giffords is responding to commands, according to neurosurgeons.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has taken over the investigation (FBI) and FBI Director Robert Mueller was orderd by President Barack H. Obama to be present in Arizona to lead the investigation.
The FBI is trying to figure out what led Loughner to shoot Giffords and at the crowd.
Loughner's Twitter and Myspace accounts have been taken down as federal investigators dig into Loughner's life and figure out a motive for the deadly shooting incident.
Giffords a Democrat was re-elected for the third time in the predominately Republican Arizona 8th District. She opposed Arizona's SB 1070 Anti-immigrant law and supports comprehensive immigration reform.
Authorities identified the victims that were killed as Gabe Zimmerman, 30, Giffords Deputy Director, Dorwin Stoddard, 76, Dorthy Morris, 76, and Phyllis Schneck, 79.
Two of Giffords staffers were injured, Ron Barber, Giffords Deputy Director and Pam Simon.

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