Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords Shot by Gunman at Townhall Event in Tucson — Progressives Blame Sarah Palin 'Hit List'

This is breaking. Conflicting reports.

Huffington Post's headline reported earlier that she was killed (now revised), although Crooks and Liars still has this as of 12:00pm (and check the comments there as well):

But Daily Caller has this, "CONGRESSWOMAN SHOT: U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head during a public event in Arizona, with conflicting reports as to her fate." (And some commenters there are applauding the shooting as evidence of the "evils of conservatism.")



I'm praying for everyone involved.



Expect updates.



12:18pm: Here's Representative Gifford's tweet from this morning: "My 1st Congress on Your Corner starts now. Please stop by to let me know what is on your mind or tweet me later." Screencap added:

12:23pm: Crooks and Liars has amended its headline. And at New York Times, "Condition of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords Remains Unclear."



12:45pm: TBogg Demon Seed blames Sarah Palin, "Fuck it, I'm going there":

12:50pm: Sarah Palin has released a statement:

My sincere condolences are offered to the family of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and the other victims of today's tragic shooting in Arizona.



On behalf of Todd and my family, we all pray for the victims and their families, and for peace and justice.



- Sarah Palin.

And Jane Hamsher's playing up the "hit list" angle, "Giffords Opponent, Jesse Kelly, Held June Event to “Shoot a Fully Automatic M16″ to “Get on Target” and “Remove Gabrielle Giffords”."



1:05pm: Daily Kos scrubbed this post, but here's the cached version:, "My CongressWOMAN Voted Against Nancy Pelosi And is Now Dead to Me!"

1:15pm: From Pat Dollard, "REPORTS CHANGING, SEE HISTORY BELOW: GIFFORDS IN SURGERY, “RESPONDING TO COMMANDS” - UPDATE: FEDERAL JUDGE CONFIRMED DEAD, STATE SENATOR LINDA LOPEZ SAYS “AFGHANISTAN VET” COMMITTED SHOOTING, BLAMES TEA PARTY."



Also, at The Other McCain, "ARIZONA OUTRAGE: Congresswoman, Several Others Shot in Tucson - UPDATE: Conflicting Reports on Giffords":

Regardless of who perpetrated this outrage or why, it’s terribly harmful to the political process.



While I was on Capitol Hill for swearing-in events Wednesday, I saw Democrat Rep. Raul Grijalva (AZ-7) walk past on the sidewalk. He was walking alone, with no aides or anybody else with him. I said hello, smiled and waved.

1:33pm. Shooter is identified as 22 year-old Jared Loughner. Pamela Geller has more: "Arizona Shooter Jared Laughner: A Certified Nut." The Knoxville Daily Sun claims that Laughner was "inspired" by "Sara Palin" [sic].



2:10pm: Another progressive blog with a big roundup implicating Sarah Palin, "Sarah Palin’s Target List and the Assassination of Gabrielle Giffords."

Also, at Wizbang, "That Giant Flushing Sound You Hear ... is thousands of diaries at Daily Kos getting purged in the wake of the shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Gifford (D-AZ)."



2:45pm: At WaPo, "Hospital: Rep. Giffords expected to recover from Tucson shooting that killed six including a child and federal judge."

And an update from the New York Times report cited above:

Ms. Giffords, 40, was described as being in very critical condition at the University Medical Center in Tucson, where she was operated on by a team of neurosurgeons. Dr. Peter Rhee, medical director of the hospital’s trauma and critical care unit, said that she had been shot once in the head, “through and through,” with the bullet going through her brain.



“I can tell you at this time, I am very optimistic about her recovery,” Dr. Rhee said in a news conference. “We cannot tell what kind of recovery but I’m as optimistic as it can get in this kind of situation.”

3:15pm: Here's Markos Moulitsas on Twitter:

3:28pm: At Fox News, "President Obama Offers Support to Arizona After Tragic Shooting."

5:38pm: At Politics Daily, "Sarah Palin Blamed by Bloggers for Shooting of Gabrielle Giffords," and NewsBusters, "Jane Fonda Blames Giffords Shooting on Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck and the Tea Party."



And at Time, "Is Violent Rhetoric Behind the Attack on Giffords?":

Sometimes, rumors of violence beget actual violence. Saturday's mass shooting at a Safeway on North Oracle Road in Tucson, which left Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in critical condition and at least nine others wounded, may well be one of those occasions.

The author then goes on whine about the conservative backlash against illegal immigration, claiming that the threat of violence in Arizona, following the Krenz killing, has been completely overblown.



Nope. No trying to score political points there.



Plus, a roundup at Instapundit.



6:07pm: The shooter doesn't fit into any particular ideological frame, despite the best efforst of the progressive left. See the Arizona Daily Star, "Man linked to Giffords shooting called 'very disturbed'."

And at Fox News, "Giffords Likely Faces Long Road to Recovery."



Plus, at NYT, "2nd Suspect Sought in Arizona Shooting."