the mic to the chief of police that will go into the details of how we can best serve . shep: i need to tell you that the president of the united states is scheduled to talk to us in five minutes. we re waiting for a news conference from authorities on the scene and we ll have that as it begins. for now back to the news conference at the hospital. like to introduce the chief of police. good afternoon. i won t have much information that i am able to give you. as the mayor pointed out, this investigation, i believe they have held a press conference giving details about the investigation. our role and the city of tucson we have secured the offices and residences of congresswoman giffords as well as other
police are trying to figure out whether anyone else was involved. the gunman opened fire outside a tucson grocery store while congresswoman giffords was meeting with constuents. there has been plenty of conflicting information here. as you can imagine, it was a chaotic event. at one point, it was reported she died. that turned out not to be the case and we are thankful for at least that bit of good news. one official says the attack was carried out with an automatic weapon, but sheriff s officials say the gunman used a pistol to carry out the assault. little information is currently known about loughner, this 22-year-old suspect, including his motive for attacking congresswoman giffords and the others. the chief of police of tucson saying his department has secured the offices of giffords and other area lawmakers as a precaution. the mayor pointed out, this is an investigation of the sheriff s department.
store essentially outside the safeway store where this shooting took place. mark, what can you tell us? john, it s an immense scene here where this scene of devastation took place earlier, that shooting here in a packed parking lot, people were here not only to meet with gabrielle giffords and maybe give her some of their concern, but also to do their grocery shopping. it s a very busy shopping center at tucson. it was just full of people. i m looking at the parking lot. still packed with cars, all surrounded with yellow police tape. it s an indication of how many people were here when this thing happened. and also why we re seeing so many victims. again, six killed so far. 18 wounded. there are still bodies in the parking lot of the safeway. people who could not be saved after that gunman started shooting into this crowd and again, hitting so many people. many of them probably just here with their families on a saturday morning. john: mark, one of the more interesting reports that
is recuperating from an amazing gunshot wound, amazingly recuperating, i should say, from a gunshot wound that apparently went through her head, entered one side, out the other, through the brain, and doctors are optimistic they will be able to save her life. five others are in critical condition, according to that hospital report. a young child we know to be dead, a nine-year-old girl, also dead, john roll, the chief judge chief federal judge in that district. it s just an awful day for the folks of arizona and really for the nation. the mayor of tucson, arizona where the shooting took place says he has spoken to the congresswoman s father. here is what the mayor has to say. i did have a chance to talk about gabby s father as he came in and i told him that this community and this state has gabby s prayers and thoughts in our hearts for her recovery.
did not lodge in the brain and did not explode in her head. prognosis is much better and doctors say they are very, very hopeful and prognosis is good for recovery. the governor is being introduced now and she ll speak in just a moment. as we listen to that. i bid farewell to you and see you tonight. now, the news conference from the governor. good afternoon. all of arizona is shocked and deeply saddened by the horrific tragedy that transpired this morning in tucson. i have been in contact throughout the morning with law enforcement officials and a short while ago with the president of the united states. the president conveyed his heartfelt sympathies for our state and shared determination to insure that justice is fully served. i am just heart broken. gabby is more than just a