Jared Loughner and the 2011 Tucson Massacre
Background
Jared Lee Loughner was a 22-year-old resident of Tucson, Arizona, when he carried out a mass shooting and attempted assassination on January 8, 2011. The attack occurred during a public constituent meeting hosted by United States Representative Gabrielle “Gabby” Giffords outside a Safeway supermarket in Casas Adobes, an unincorporated community northwest of Tucson.
Loughner had previously attended Pima Community College, where students and employees reported increasingly disruptive, confrontational and erratic behavior. College officials suspended him on September 29, 2010, following a series of incidents. He was informed that he could not return without obtaining a mental-health evaluation and clearance showing that he was not a danger to himself or others. Instead of completing those requirements, he withdrew from the college in October 2010.
Loughner had encountered Giffords at an earlier “Congress on Your Corner” event in August 2007. Investigators later found indications that he had developed a fixation on the congresswoman. Among the materials recovered from his family home was an envelope containing a letter from Giffords’s office and handwritten statements that included references to planning, assassination and Giffords. Although his writings contained anti-government themes and confused political ideas, authorities did not identify a single coherent ideology that fully explained the attack.
Preparation for the Attack
On November 30, 2010, Loughner purchased a Glock 19 semiautomatic pistol from a sporting-goods store in Tucson. The weapon fired 9-millimeter ammunition. He also obtained extended magazines capable of holding substantially more ammunition than a standard pistol magazine.
During the early morning of January 8, 2011, Loughner left a farewell message for a friend and posted a goodbye statement online. Later that morning, he attempted to purchase ammunition at one Walmart store but was refused service because an employee was concerned about his appearance and behavior. He then traveled to another Walmart and successfully bought ammunition.
At approximately 7:34 a.m., an Arizona Game and Fish Department officer stopped Loughner after he ran a red light. After determining that there were no outstanding warrants for his arrest, the officer released him with a warning. Loughner later took a taxi to the La Toscana Village shopping center, where Giffords was scheduled to meet members of the public.
The Congress on Your Corner Event
Giffords was holding the first “Congress on Your Corner” gathering of the year outside the Safeway at 7110 North Oracle Road. The event allowed constituents to speak directly with their representative about government services, legislation and community concerns. Giffords stood beside a table near the store entrance while members of her staff helped organize a line of visitors.
Approximately 20 to 30 people were gathered around the congresswoman. Those present included senior citizens, political staff members, local residents, a federal judge and nine-year-old Christina-Taylor Green, who had been brought to the event by her neighbor because of the child’s interest in government and public service.
The January 8, 2011 Shooting
At approximately 10:10 a.m. Mountain Standard Time, Loughner approached the gathering. He moved close to Giffords, drew his Glock pistol and shot her in the head at nearly point-blank range. The bullet passed through her brain, causing a catastrophic injury but not immediately killing her.
Loughner then rapidly fired into the assembled crowd. People standing in line had little time to react or seek cover. Thirty-one discharged cartridge casings were later recovered from the scene. Six victims were killed and thirteen others were struck by gunfire. Another person suffered an injury during the struggle to stop Loughner.
The shooting paused when Loughner attempted to reload. Patricia Maisch, who had been knocked to the ground during the attack, saw him remove another extended magazine. When Loughner dropped it, Maisch seized it before he could place it into the pistol. Retired Army Colonel Bill Badger, despite having been wounded by a bullet, helped tackle Loughner. Roger Salzgeber, Joseph Zamudio and other bystanders also assisted in restraining him until law-enforcement officers arrived.
The first emergency call was received at approximately 10:11 a.m. Police reached the shopping center within minutes, followed closely by paramedics. Giffords’s intern, Daniel Hernández Jr., ran toward the gunfire and began assisting the congresswoman. He applied pressure to her wound and helped keep her airway clear until emergency medical personnel could take over.
People Murdered on January 8, 2011
- Christina-Taylor Green, age 9 – Christina was a Tucson-area student who had recently been elected to her school’s student council. She attended the event with her neighbor, Susan Hileman, to learn more about government and meet Giffords. Christina was born on September 11, 2001, and had been featured in a book about children born on the day of the terrorist attacks. She was shot outside the Safeway in Casas Adobes and was pronounced dead after being transported to the hospital.
- Dorothy “Dot” Morris, age 76 – Morris was a retired secretary from Oro Valley, Arizona. She attended the event with her husband, George Morris. Dorothy was killed during the gunfire, while George was wounded as he attempted to protect her.
- Chief Judge John McCarthy Roll, age 63 – Roll was the chief judge of the United States District Court for the District of Arizona. He had stopped at the event to speak with Giffords after attending Mass. Roll was shot and killed outside the Safeway. He had served on the federal bench since 1991 and had been chief judge since 2006.
- Phyllis Schneck, age 79 – Schneck was a Tucson resident and retired homemaker who spent part of each year in Arizona. She had gone to the constituent meeting because she was interested in speaking with Giffords. Schneck was killed at the scene of the attack.
- Dorwan Charles Stoddard, age 76 – Stoddard was a retired construction worker and longtime Tucson-area resident. He was attending the event with his wife, Mavy Stoddard. During the shooting, he attempted to shield Mavy with his body. Dorwan suffered a fatal gunshot wound, while his wife survived multiple wounds.
- Gabriel “Gabe” Zimmerman, age 30 – Zimmerman was Giffords’s director of community outreach and helped organize the January 8 meeting. He had worked for Giffords since 2006 and was engaged to be married. Zimmerman was killed while performing his duties outside the Safeway. He became the first congressional staff member killed while carrying out official duties.
Surviving Victims
- Gabrielle “Gabby” Giffords – The Arizona congresswoman was shot through the head and initially listed in critical condition. Emergency surgeons removed part of her skull to relieve pressure caused by swelling. She survived but experienced lasting difficulties involving speech, vision and movement.
- Ron Barber – Giffords’s district director was shot in the face and thigh. He survived after extensive medical treatment and later succeeded Giffords as a member of the United States House of Representatives.
- Pamela Simon – A member of Giffords’s staff, Simon was shot in the chest and arm. She survived the attack.
- Susan Hileman – Hileman had brought Christina-Taylor Green to the event. She suffered several gunshot wounds but survived. Christina was killed beside her.
- George Morris – Morris was wounded while attempting to protect his wife, Dorothy Morris, who was killed.
- Mavy Stoddard – Stoddard suffered multiple gunshot wounds. Her husband, Dorwan Stoddard, was killed while shielding her.
- Bill Badger – The retired Army colonel suffered a gunshot wound to the head but remained able to help tackle and restrain Loughner.
- James Eric Fuller – Fuller, a military veteran, was shot in the knee and survived.
- Other wounded attendees – Kenneth Dorushka, Randy Gardner, Mary Reed, Roger Salzgeber and additional members of the gathering were injured during the attack or the effort to stop Loughner.
Arrest and Investigation
Loughner was arrested at the scene after the surviving attendees subdued him. Officers recovered the Glock pistol, ammunition, extended magazines and personal identification. Investigators searched his home and examined his telephone records, online postings, writings and recent purchases.
The physical evidence showed that the shooting had been planned rather than committed during a spontaneous confrontation. Notes recovered from Loughner’s home referred to an assassination and to Giffords. Investigators also found correspondence showing that he had attended one of her previous public events.
On January 9, 2011, federal prosecutors charged Loughner with attempting to assassinate a member of Congress, murdering federal employees and attempting to murder federal employees. A federal grand jury later returned a 49-count indictment covering the six deaths and the injuries inflicted on the survivors.
Mental Competency Proceedings
Loughner’s mental condition became a central issue in the criminal proceedings. Court-appointed experts evaluated him and diagnosed him with schizophrenia. His symptoms included delusions, disorganized thinking and an inability to rationally understand or assist in his defense.
In May 2011, a federal judge ruled that Loughner was not competent to stand trial. He was transferred to a federal medical facility for psychiatric treatment. The government authorized involuntary medication after doctors concluded that treatment was necessary to control his symptoms and restore his competency.
After more than a year of treatment, medical specialists reported that Loughner understood the charges, the possible penalties and the roles of the judge, prosecutors and defense attorneys. On August 7, 2012, United States District Judge Larry Alan Burns found him competent to proceed.
Guilty Plea and Sentence
Immediately after being declared competent on August 7, 2012, Loughner pleaded guilty to nineteen federal charges. The plea agreement eliminated the possibility of a death sentence while guaranteeing that he would remain imprisoned for the rest of his life without parole.
On November 8, 2012, victims and relatives of those killed attended Loughner’s sentencing hearing in Tucson. Giffords entered the courtroom with her husband, Mark Kelly, and faced the man who had attempted to kill her. Kelly delivered a statement describing the deaths, the survivors’ permanent injuries and the damage inflicted on the Tucson community.
Judge Burns sentenced Loughner to seven consecutive life sentences plus 140 years in federal prison. The sentence did not permit parole. Loughner was also ordered to pay restitution and surrender any profits that might result from selling or publishing the story of his crimes.
Aftermath
The shooting ended Giffords’s active congressional career. Although she made substantial progress during rehabilitation, she continued to experience serious physical and communication difficulties. She resigned from the House of Representatives in January 2012 so that she could concentrate on her recovery.
The attack produced extensive national debate about threats against public officials, access to high-capacity firearm magazines, mental-health intervention and the security of public political events. It also brought attention to the courage of the bystanders, medical personnel and first responders who prevented additional deaths and treated the wounded.
Memorials were created throughout the Tucson area for the six people killed. The victims’ families and survivors repeatedly emphasized that the tragedy should be remembered through the lives that were lost and the actions of those who helped others during the attack. Loughner remains under a sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of release.
