UPDATE || Physician 'optimistic' about congresswoman's recovery

McCLATCHY TRIBUNE

SEATTLE

Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head and critically injured Saturday morning during a meet-and-greet with constituents at a Tucson supermarket. A physician said he was optimistic she could recover from the bullet wound that penetrated “through and through.”

A 9-year-old girl was among six people confirmed dead and at least 12 others were injured in the shooting, according to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. The Associated Press, quoting a U.S. marshal, said U.S. District Judge John Roll was also among the dead.

Giffords, 40, a Democrat recently sworn in to her third term in Congress, was “responding to commands” after undergoing neurosurgery, said Peter Rhee, director of trauma at the University Medical Center in Tucson.

“I can tell you at the current time period, I’m very optimistic about recovery,” Rhee told reporters. “We cannot tell about full recovery, but I’m about as optimistic as I can get in this situation.”

Rhee said Giffords was shot by a single bullet that entered her head on one side and exited on the other.

Meanwhile, a federal source said a suspect was in custody and identified him as Jared L. Loughner, 22, a U.S. military veteran who served in Afghanistan. The gunman reportedly fired a pistol with an “extended magazine,” the source said.

About 15 to 20 shots were fired in rapid succession witnesses told new agencies at the scene. There was no immediate indication that additional suspects were involved.