Tuscon shooting suspect is Jared L. Loughner …
Federal officials identified the shooter of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords as Jared Lee Loughner. He was taken into custody at the scene and is now being held at Pima County Sheriff’s Office, the prime suspect in the killing of six and injuring of 12 at a Safeway grocery store.
The 22-year-old suspect was tackled by people in the small crowd after the shooting. A Glock pistol was recovered and contained “an extended clip.”
Police have also released a surveillance camera photo of a “person of interest” in this case who is described as 40-50 years old – see photo below.
According to Tucson doctor Steven Rayle, an eyewitness to the shootings, the young man was wearing sneakers and navy blue sweats. He approached Giffords with a semi-automatic handgun raised. He shot her once in the face.
After the congresswoman fell, people tried to flee but were trapped–hemmed in by the table and a concrete post. It was at that point that the gunman started firing into the crowd.
Rayle said: “It was so close, and sort of a tight thing there was nowhere easy to run. So most of the crowd got it. People that were there were just sitting ducks. I don’t think he was even aiming. He was just firing at whatever.”
After a few moments the shooter tried to flee but was tackled and subsequently apprehended.
Loughner left a trail of Internet postings, expressing convoluted observations about government. Law enforcement authorities believe he is a military veteran.
Rep. Giffords is married to NASA astronaut Mark Kelly, who was training for a lunar mission at the time of the shooting. He immediately flew to Tuscon to be at the bedside of his critically injured wife.
UPDATE January 10, 2011: Police determined after going through Loughner’s home that the shooting was “a targeted assassination attempt.” He will make his first appearance before a Phoenix judge at 2:00 p.m. Monday. See the latest update on the suspect in the top video below and the MUG SHOT featuring the suspect grinning broadly.
More photos and video below, including a photo of slain federal judge John Roll: