Tucson shooting

The shooting took place on January 8, 2011, at 10am. A United States Representative from Arizona, Gabrielle Giffords, was holding a constituent meeting called "Congress on Your Corner" at the Safeway supermarket in La Toscana Village mall, which is in Casas Adobes. Giffords had set up a table outside the store and about 20 to 30 people were gathered around her when the gunman drew a pistol and shot Giffords in the head. He then allegedly proceeded to fire apparently randomly at other members of the crowd. A nearby store employee said he heard "15 to 20 gunshots". After the gunman ran out of ammunition in the first magazine, he stopped to reload, but dropped the loaded magazine from his pocket to the sidewalk, from where a bystander grabbed it. Another bystander clubbed the back of the assailant's head with a folding chair. The gunman was then tackled to the ground by 74-year-old retired colonel Bill Badger, who himself had been shot.

This is the news that we watched unfold on local and international news. Arizona, as was the rest of the US, was shocked that something like this happened. While visiting a supporting church in Tucson, and attending their missions conference, we took the opportunity to go visit the site of the shooting. We were happy to see that the memorial has been left untouched. As a matter of fact, Safeway has placed guard rails around it to protect it from cars. A somber moment, but one we felt we wanted to go see

.