Christina-Taylor Green

On January 8, 2011, U.S. Representative Gabby Giffords and 18 others were shot during a constituent meeting held in a supermarket parking lot in Casas Adobes, Arizona, in the Tucson metropolitan area.

Six people were killed, including federal District Court Chief Judge John Roll; Gabe Zimmerman, one of Giffords's staffers; and a 9-year-old girl, Christina-Taylor Green.

Giffords was holding the meeting, called "Congress on Your Corner", in the parking lot of a Safeway store when Jared Lee Loughner drew a pistol and shot her in the head before proceeding to fire on other people.

One additional person was injured in the immediate aftermath of the shooting.

News reports identified the target of the attack to be Giffords, a Democrat representing Arizona's 8th congressional district.

She was shot through the head at point-blank range, and her medical condition was initially described as "critical".

Loughner, a 22-year-old Tucson man who was fixated on Giffords, was arrested at the scene.

Federal prosecutors filed five charges against him, including the attempted assassination of a member of Congress and the assassination of a federal judge.

Loughner previously had been arrested once (but not convicted) on a minor drug charge and had been suspended by his college for disruptive behavior.

Court filings include notes handwritten by Loughner indicating he planned to assassinate Giffords.

Loughner did not cooperate with authorities, invoking his right to remain silent.

He was held without bail and indicted on 49 counts.

The shooting took place on January 8, 2011, at 10:10 A.M. MST (17:10 UTC).

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, a census-designated place north of Tucson.

Giffords had set up a table outside the store and about 20 to 30 people were gathered around her when a 22-year-old man by the name of Jared Lee Loughner suddenly drew a pistol and shot Giffords in the head.

The shooting was caught on video by a store security camera, but was not released to the public.

Loughner proceeded to fire apparently randomly at other members of the crowd.

He was armed with a Glock 19 semi-automatic pistol with four magazines, two of which were capable of holding 33 rounds.

A nearby store employee said he heard "15 to 20 gunshots".

Loughner stopped to reload, but dropped the loaded magazine from his pocket to the sidewalk, from where bystander Patricia Maisch grabbed it.

In January 2012, Loughner was found by a federal judge to be incompetent to stand trial based on two medical evaluations, which diagnosed him with paranoid schizophrenia.

On August 7, Loughner had a hearing in which he was judged competent.

He pleaded guilty to 19 counts, and in November 2012 was sentenced to life in prison.

Following the shooting, American and international politicians expressed grief and condemnations.

Gun control advocates pushed for increased restrictions on the sale of firearms and ammunition, specifically high-capacity magazines.

Some commentators criticized the use of harsh political rhetoric in the United States, with a number blaming the political right wing for the shooting.

In particular, Sarah Palin was criticized for a poster by her political action committee that featured stylized crosshairs on an electoral map that included Giffords.

Palin rejected claims that she bore any responsibility for the shooting.

President Barack Obama led a nationally televised memorial service on January 12, and other memorials took place.

Another bystander, Roger Salzgeber, clubbed the back of the assailant's head with a folding chair, injuring his elbow in the process, representing the 14th injury.

Loughner was tackled to the ground by Bill Badger, a 74-year-old retired United States Army Colonel who had also been shot himself.

Loughner was further subdued by Maisch, Salzgeber and bystander Joseph Zamudio.

Zamudio, a concealed weapon (CCW) permit holder, had a weapon on his person, but arrived after the shooting had stopped and did not draw his firearm.

Thirty-one shell casings were found at the scene by investigators.

The first call from the scene to emergency services was received at 10:11 A.M. While waiting for help to arrive, Giffords's intern Daniel Hernández Jr. applied pressure to the gunshot wound on her forehead, and made sure she did not choke on her blood.

Hernández, and local paramedic Aaron Rogers are credited with saving Giffords's life.

David and Nancy Bowman, a married doctor and nurse couple who were shopping in the store, immediately set up triage and attended to nine-year-old Christina-Taylor Green.

Police arrived on the scene at 10:15 A.M., with paramedics arriving at 10:16 A.M. Badger observed the assailant attempting to discard a small bag containing money and identification, which was recovered by the officers.

Following the shooting, the police shut down roads surrounding the shopping center until late in the day.

The intersection was cordoned off and most of the businesses in the shopping center were closed throughout the weekend during the initial investigation.