January 8th, 2012
12:08 AM ET

Giffords to attend vigil marking one year since shooting rampage

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords will attend events Sunday marking the anniversary of a shooting rampage that left six people dead in southern Arizona.

The Democrat was the target of the January 8, 2011, mass shooting in the parking lot of a Tucson supermarket during a constituent meet-and-greet. Prosecutors accuse Jared Loughner, 23, of the attack that also injured 13 people.

Giffords is still recovering from the head shooting. She has made few public appearances since the incident with a few notable exceptions such as casting a vote raising the federal debt ceiling and an interview with ABC.

She has been undergoing intensive rehabilitation in Houston, but has returned to Tucson four times since the shooting, according to her office.

Last week, Giffords returned to Arizona for memorial events that included unveiling a plaque in memory of Gabe Zimmerman, one of her aides shot in the rampage, and visiting a trailhead named in Zimmerman's honor, according to pictures on her Facebook page.

Giffords and her husband, retired astronaut and Navy captain Mark Kelly, will take part in a vigil on the University of Arizona campus.

"Congresswoman Giffords wanted to be back in Tucson for this very emotional weekend," Pia Carusone, her chief of staff, said in a statement. "She felt it was important to be in her hometown with her family, staff members and a few close friends."

Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, Rabbi Stephanie Aaron and Dr. Peter Rhee, one of Giffords doctors, will also participate in Sunday's event. The emcee will be Ron Barber, Giffords' district director who was shot and wounded in last year's incident.

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soundoff (4 Responses)
  1. TORI

    Gabby,we can't wait to see you.U of A is busy prepping for this momentous occasion.

    January 8, 2012 at 12:24 am | Report abuse |
  2. Saoirse

    Good for her! I'm glad she's doing so much better.

    January 8, 2012 at 12:03 pm | Report abuse |
  3. luvgrandkids

    Representative Gabrielle Giffords is truly a walking, talking miracle. Not many people would have placed bets on her survival a year ago, let alone the amazing recovery she has made! It's one of the good stories to come out of 2011 and I'm so glad she is able to attend the memorial services today! May she continue to show improvement. She is most certainly an icon and very much loved as a person, regardless of her party affiliation, or those of the folks honoring her! My following comments are not meant, in ANY way, to detract from this story or Rep. Gifford's remarkable recovery. – They are simply observations about a question I've had since this terrible tragedy occurred,

    Why has there been no real mention or follow-up on the other 'regular citizens" who were killed or injured a year ago. Now, I read that Gabby's aide is being honored by a plaque – that is all good, but HAS there been anything created to also remember the others who were killed and injured? What's good for the well-known should also be good for the 'regular citizens' whose lives were changed forever that terrible day, and that truly includes anyone who was there or is related to those people who were there, especially the loved ones of those injured or killed, but also including those who survived the attack 'unharmed'. If there have been memorials placed for all those, I would very much like to know about it. Thanks to anyone who can add more details to my question.

    January 8, 2012 at 6:07 pm | Report abuse |
  4. Bob

    Whats really sad is that the shooter 'Loughner' is playing the crazy card with the smiling shaved head photo and the jiustice system and some dumb jury will buy it. He will be found not guilty by reason of insanity and be commited for 20 years in a mental hospital. He will be released then and guess what? He might go out and shoot someone again. Just kill this total waste of oxygen already!!!

    January 8, 2012 at 7:13 pm | Report abuse |
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