Rep. Giffords In Intensive Care After Being Shot In The Head At Public Event

BREAKING NEWS out of Tuscon, Arizona this afternoon. U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona was shot in the head and a Federal Judge was killed when a gunman began firing on a crowd gathered to hear Giffords speak.

Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords is in an intensive care unit following surgery for a gunshot wound in the head at close range, the University of Arizona Medical Center announced Saturday afternoon.

Dr. Peter Rhee, a surgeon and chief of the trauma, critical care and emergency surgery, said he is "very optimistic" about the congresswoman's recovery.

However, Federal District Judge John M. Roll was shot and killed during the town-hall style event outside a Safeway grocery store in Tucson.

At least 19 people were shot at Giffords' "Congress on Your Corner" event, including three members of the Democratic congresswoman's staff in Arizona. Five have died, including one of Giffords' aides and a 9-year-old girl. Several others are in critical condition at the university hospital.

State Sen. Linda Lopez, a close friend of Giffords', told Fox News that the three-term congresswoman was shot in the temple and the bullet exited through her forehead. Lopez said Giffords was responding to commands.

Fox News confirmed that a 22-year-old white male named Jared Loughner was taken into custody as the alleged shooter. Police reportedly had also arrested a second suspect, however

law enforcement official told Fox News they believe Loughner acted alone after a "preliminary search" for a second suspect turned up no one.

via Rep. Giffords in Intensive Care After Being Shot in the Head at Public Event - FoxNews.com.