THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Gabrielle Giffords, a Democratic Congresswoman, was fighting for her life after being shot in the head by a gunman who opened fire on a public meeting in Tucson, Arizona, killing six people.
The dead included a nine-year-old girl, a Giffords aide and a federal district judge whose life had previously been threatened over a contentious illegal immigration lawsuit that he was hearing. A further 12 people were injured in the rampage.
Miss Giffords, 40, who is married to an astronaut, survived the murderous shooting spree, despite being shot at point blank range by a single bullet that passed through her brain and out of her head.
President Barack Obama said she was "battling for her life". Initial reports listed the congresswoman among those killed, but doctors later said they were "optimistic" after emergency surgery.
"We cannot tell what kind of recovery but I'm about as optimistic as it can get in this situation," said Dr Peter Rhee, trauma surgeon a Tucson University Medical Centre.
The suspected gunman, identified by law enforcement officials as Jared Loughner, 22, also from Tucson, was in custody after being tackled by bystanders as he tried to flee the scene. >>> Philip Sherwell, in New York | Sunday, January 09, 2011
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WELT ONLINE: Nach dem Blutbad von Tucson wird über die aufgeheizte Stimmung in Arizona gesprochen. Der Schütze soll sich über die Regierung empört haben.
Schock in Amerika: Mit einem gezielten Kopfschuss hat ein Attentäter im US- Bundesstaat Arizona eine Kongressabgeordnete schwer verletzt. Der 22-Jährige feuerte mit seiner halbautomatischen Pistole auch auf weitere Menschen – sechs starben, darunter ein neunjähriges Mädchen. Mindestens ein Dutzend erlitten teils schwere Verletzungen. >>> dpa/dapd/cn | Sonntag, 09. Januar 2011
WELT ONLINE: Der Amoklauf von Tucson, Symptom des Irrsinns: Die Schüsse auf Gabrielle Giffords lösen in den USA Betroffenheit aus. Doch sie enthüllen auch uramerikanische Probleme. >>> Autor: Uwe Schmitt | Sonntag, 09. Januar 2011
