Jared Loughner

Case record: United States v. Jared Lee Loughner

Timeline

• January 8, 2011 — Jared Lee Loughner opened fire at a constituent meeting held in a supermarket parking lot in Casas Adobes, near Tucson, Arizona, killing six people and injuring 14 others.
• January 10, 2011 — A photograph taken by the Pima County Sheriff's Office's forensic unit was released to the media.
• January 11, 2011 — Loughner's parents released a statement expressing remorse for the victims and saying "We don't understand why this happened."
• January 12, 2011 — President Barack Obama led a nationally televised memorial service; Obama also went to Tucson and visited Giffords at her bedside before attending the memorial ceremony.
• January 19, 2011 — A federal grand jury handed down an indictment for three counts against Loughner.
• January 21, 2011 — Giffords's condition was deemed sufficiently stable for her to be released to Houston's Memorial Hermann Medical Center.
• January 24, 2011 — Loughner appeared in federal court in Phoenix before Judge Larry Alan Burns; not guilty was recorded.
• February 6, 2012 — Loughner's stay at the Springfield, Mo facility was extended by four months.
• February 24, 2011 — Loughner was transferred to the United States Penitentiary in Tucson.
• August 1, — Giffords made her first public appearance on the House floor to vote in favor of raising the debt limit ceiling.
• August 7, 2012 — A federal judge found Loughner competent to stand trial; Loughner pleaded guilty to 19 counts.
• August 25, 2007 — Loughner attended a "Congress on Your Corner" event where he asked Gabrielle Giffords: "What is government if words have no meaning?"
• August 30 — Arguments began about the lawfulness of Loughner's forced medication.
• November 8, 2012 — Loughner was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Larry Alan Burns to seven consecutive life terms plus 140 years in prison without parole.
• November 15, 2012 — Sentencing had been set for this date at 10 a.m. local time.
• October 25 through November 4 — Giffords engaged in intensive rehabilitation treatments in Asheville, North Carolina.
• October 13, 2008 — Loughner was charged after defacing a street sign in Marana, near Tucson.
• March 3, 2011 — A federal grand jury indicted Loughner on additional charges of murder and attempted murder for a total of 49 counts.
• March 9, 2011 — Loughner pleaded not guilty to all 49 charges.
• May 24, 2012 — A federal judge ordered a competency hearing for June 27 (later postponed until August 7) to determine Loughner's mental fitness to stand trial.
• May 25, 2011 — Judge Burns ruled Loughner was then incompetent to stand trial.
• June 26, 2011 — Judge Burns ruled that prison doctors could forcibly medicate Loughner with antipsychotic drugs to make him fit to stand trial.
• June 5, 2012 — A request by Loughner's lawyers to rehear arguments on forced medication was denied.
• June 27, 2012 — A competency hearing had been ordered for this date.
• July 12, 2011 — A three-judge federal appeals panel from the Ninth Circuit ruled that Loughner could refuse anti-psychotic medication.
• July 12, 2011 — Prison medical authorities resumed forcible treatment with risperidone a week after the ruling.
• September 21, 2011 — Loughner was scheduled to appear in court on this date.
• September 28, 2011 — The hearing was delayed until this date when the judge reviewed whether Loughner could understand the charges and could assist in his defense.
• September 29, 2010 — College police discovered a YouTube video shot by Loughner in which his spoken commentary stated that the college was illegal according to the United States Constitution.
• October 4, — Loughner and his parents met with campus administrators and Loughner indicated he would withdraw from the college.
• October 2007 — Loughner was cited in Pima County for possession of drug paraphernalia.
• 2006 — Loughner was registered as a Republican and voted in 2006 and 2008, but not in 2010.
• 2006 — Loughner attended Mountain View High School and dropped out in 2006.
• 2008 — The U.S. Army confirmed Loughner had been rejected as "unqualified" for service in 2008.
• 2009 — The defacing charge was dismissed following completion of a diversion program in March 2009.
• 2010 — Loughner had five contacts with college police for classroom and library disruptions from February to September 2010.
• 2010 — Loughner chose to drop out in October 2010, rather than having the mental health evaluation and clearance required for re-enrollment.
• 2010 — Loughner purchased the semi-automatic handgun used in the massacre shortly before purchasing it (last encounter described as in October 2010 after suspension and dropping out).
• Late 2008 — Loughner quit using marijuana (as well as alcohol and tobacco) and had not used it since, according to a longtime friend.
• November 30, 2010 — Loughner allegedly purchased a 9mm Glock pistol used in the shooting from Sportsman's Warehouse in Tucson.
• November 8, 2012 — U.S. District Court Judge Larry Alan Burns sentenced Loughner.
• November 2011 — Kelly's memoir, Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope, was released in November 2011.
• November 4 — Giffords's rehabilitation in Asheville ended on this date.
• January 15, 2011 — U.S. flags flown by the federal government were displayed at half-staff until sunset on this date.
• January 9, 2011 — U.S. flags were flown at half-staff in honor of the victims of the Tucson shooting.

Parties and identity

Jared Lee Loughner (born September 10, 1988) pled guilty and was sentenced in federal court in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit matter captioned: United States of America v. Jared Lee Loughner.

Background

Loughner was the only child of Randy and Amy Loughner. A neighbor described them as a very private family. Neighbors noted that in the years after high school he would keep to himself and not respond to others.

Loughner attended Mountain View High School and dropped out in 2006. A change in his personality was noted around that time by those who knew him.

Kelsey Hawkes dated Loughner for several months in high school and later said she could not believe it was him after hearing of his arrest. Hawkes said: "I've always known him as the sweet, caring Jared", and she was described as a student at the University of Arizona at the time.

Loughner was fired from his job at a Quiznos restaurant, with his manager saying he had undergone a personality transformation. Loughner briefly volunteered at a local animal shelter, walking dogs, but he was asked not to return. The shelter manager later said: "He was walking dogs in an area we didn't want dogs walked...he didn't understand or comprehend what the supervisor was trying to tell him. He was just resistant to that information."

Court records showed two previous offenses. In October 2007, Loughner was cited in Pima County for possession of drug paraphernalia. On October 13, 2008, he was charged after defacing a street sign in Marana, near Tucson; that charge was dismissed following completion of a diversion program in March 2009.

Zach Osler, a high school classmate and closest friend, indicated that Loughner's life began to unravel after his high school girlfriend broke up with him, followed by abuse of alcohol and other drugs, specifically Salvia divinorum. Kylie Smith added that around that same time he used cannabis (marijuana), psychedelic mushrooms, and LSD. Loughner quit using marijuana (as well as alcohol and tobacco) in late 2008 and had not used it since, according to a longtime friend.

The U.S. Military sources said Loughner admitted to marijuana use on numerous occasions during the application process.

From February to September 2010, while a student at Pima Community College, Loughner had five contacts with college police for classroom and library disruptions. On September 29, 2010, college police also discovered a YouTube video shot by Loughner in which his spoken commentary stated that the college was illegal according to the United States Constitution, and he described his school as "one of the biggest scams in America". The video led to Loughner being suspended from the school. The college told him that if he wanted to come back to school, he needed to resolve code of conduct violations and obtain a mental health clearance.

On October 4, Loughner and his parents met with campus administrators and Loughner indicated he would withdraw from the college. A classmate said she thought he might commit a school shooting. One of his teachers claimed a similar suspicion after the Tucson shooting.

The offence

January 8, 2011: Tucson shooting

On January 8, 2011, Jared Lee Loughner opened fire at a constituent meeting held in a supermarket parking lot in Casas Adobes, near Tucson, Arizona. The meeting was called "Congress on Your Corner" and was held by U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords. About 20 to 30 people were gathered around Giffords when Loughner drew a pistol and shot her in the head. The shooting was caught on video by a store security camera. Loughner allegedly proceeded to fire apparently randomly at other members of the crowd.

The weapon used was reported to be a 9mm Glock 19 semi-automatic pistol with a 33-round magazine. A nearby store employee said he heard "15 to 20 gunshots". Loughner stopped to reload, dropped the loaded magazine from his pocket to the sidewalk, and bystander Patricia Maisch grabbed it.

A nearby bystander clubbed the back of the assailant's head with a folding chair, injuring his elbow in the process, representing the 14th injury. The gunman was tackled to the ground by 74-year-old retired US Army Colonel Bill Badger, who himself had been shot, and was further subdued by Maisch and bystanders Roger Sulzgeber and Joseph Zamudio. Zamudio was a CCW holder with a weapon on his person, but he arrived after the shooting had stopped and did not use the firearm to engage or threaten the gunman.

The first call from the scene to emergency services was received at 10:11 am. Police arrived at 10:15 am and paramedics arrived at 10:16 am.

Giffords was reported to be the apparent target. She was shot through the head at point-blank range. Her medical condition was initially described as "critical". Loughner also killed six people, including Chief U.S. District Court Judge John Roll, and a nine-year-old child, Christina-Taylor Green. Thirteen other people were injured by gunfire, and one person was injured while fleeing the scene.

After the shooting, the roads surrounding the shopping center were shut down until late in the day. The intersection was cordoned off and most businesses in the shopping center were closed throughout the weekend during the initial investigation. The Safeway store reopened a week later, with a makeshift memorial erected near the front of the store. Five people died at the scene, including Chief Judge John Roll and Giffords' community outreach director Gabe Zimmerman; most of the injured were taken to University Medical Center in Tucson. Christina-Taylor Green was later pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.

Treatment and recovery of Gabrielle Giffords

U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords was taken to University Medical Center in critical condition, though she was still conscious. Within 38 minutes, Giffords underwent emergency surgery and part of her skull was removed to prevent further brain damage caused by swelling. She was placed into a medically-induced coma.

During a memorial ceremony on January 12, President Barack Obama announced that earlier that day Giffords had opened her eyes for the first time since the attack. As her status improved, she began simple physical therapy. On January 21, less than two weeks after the attack, her condition was deemed sufficiently stable for her to be released to Houston's Memorial Hermann Medical Center. A few days later she was moved to the center's Institute for Rehabilitation and Research for a program of physical therapy and rehabilitation; Houston doctors were optimistic, saying she had "great rehabilitation potential". Medical experts expected recovery to take from several months to more than one year.

On August 1, she made her first public appearance on the House floor to vote in favor of raising the debt limit ceiling; she was met with a standing ovation. Giffords engaged in intensive rehabilitation treatments in Asheville, North Carolina from October 25 through November 4.

In Kelly's memoir, Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope, released in November 2011, he reported that Giffords vowed to return to Congress, although she continued to struggle with language and lost 50 percent of her vision in both eyes. On January 22, 2012, Giffords announced she would resign from her congressional seat to concentrate on recovery but promised to return to public service in the future. She submitted her resignation on January 25 on the floor of the House in an emotional appearance with colleagues and House leadership offering tributes.

First aid at the scene

While waiting for help to arrive, Giffords' intern Daniel Hernández, Jr. applied pressure to the gunshot wound on her forehead and made sure she did not choke on her blood. Hernández was credited with saving Giffords' life.

David and Nancy Bowman, a married doctor and nurse who were shopping in the store, immediately set up triage and attended to nine-year-old Christina-Taylor Green.

Investigation

Investigators described Jared Lee Loughner as a white male in his mid-20s with short hair and dressed in a shabby manner. He was arrested after being detained by bystanders, and police later released his name and details.

The FBI attempted to question Loughner, but he reportedly refused to cooperate and invoked his Fifth Amendment right. Authorities said the alleged shooter's motivation was unknown.

Evidence seized from a safe in Loughner's home included an envelope marked with notes reading "I planned ahead", "My assassination", and "Giffords", as well as a letter from Giffords's office thanking him for attending a similar event in 2007.

As the shooting occurred outside Tucson city limits in unincorporated Casas Adobes, the Pima County Sheriff's Department started the initial investigation with assistance from the Tucson Police Department and the Arizona Department of Public Safety. President Obama ordered FBI director Robert Mueller to the location, and the FBI was ready to take over the investigation. The United States Capitol Police were also conducting an investigation.

Online materials and expressions attributed to Loughner

His Myspace profile included a handgun photographed atop a document titled "United States History". Hours before the incident, the Myspace page was updated with posts from his account stating, "Goodbye," and saying to friends, "Please don't be mad at me."

A YouTube channel under an account called "Classitup10" was attributed to Loughner. The profile stated that some favorite books were The Communist Manifesto, Animal Farm, Mein Kampf, Plato's Republic, and We the Living; one video told viewers that they "don't have to accept the federalist laws", called for a return to the gold standard, and accused the government of mind-controlling and brainwashing the citizenry. The YouTube profile also listed works such as The Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan, Gulliver's Travels, and Through the Looking-Glass.

Sheriff Clarence Dupnik conceded there was no evidence the shooting was a result of anything in particular that Loughner might have read or heard.

Loughner briefly discussed terrorism online, and the following statement was included in the material attributed to him: "If I define terrorist then a terrorist is a person who employs terror or terrorism, especially as a political weapon. I define terrorist ... If you call me a terrorist then the argument to call me a terrorist is ad hominem . You call me a terrorist."

A YouTube video shot by Loughner on September 23, 2010 described the college as "one of the biggest scams in America".

Views about politics, religion, and Gabrielle Giffords

Records showed Loughner was registered as a Republican and voted in 2006 and 2008, but not in 2010.

Zach Osler said: "He did not watch TV; he disliked the news; he didn't listen to political radio; he didn't take sides; he wasn't on the Left; he wasn't on the Right." A former classmate, Caitie Parker, described his political views as "left wing, quite liberal," and "radical." The Anti-Defamation League reviewed messages by Loughner and concluded there was a "disjointed theme that runs through Loughner's writings", which was a "distrust for and dislike of the government", manifesting in various ways. Examples were the belief that the government used the control of language to brainwash people, the notion the government was creating "infinite currency" without the backing of gold and silver, and an assertion that NASA was faking spaceflights.

According to a former friend, Bryce Tierney, Loughner had exhibited a longstanding dislike for Gabrielle Giffords and repeatedly derided her as a "fake". Tierney recalled that Loughner expressed a view that women should not hold positions of power. The belief intensified after he attended her August 25, 2007 event when she did not sufficiently answer his question: "What is government if words have no meaning?" The account said Loughner kept Giffords' form letter thanking him for attending the 2007 event in the same box as an envelope scrawled with phrases including "die @#!*%" and "assassination plans have been made". Zane Gutierrez told the New York Times that Loughner's anger would also "well up at the sight of President George W. Bush, or in discussing what he considered to be the nefarious designs of government."

Osler said conspiracy theories profoundly affected Loughner, and friends claimed he had an obsession with the conspiracy theory film Zeitgeist: The Movie. He was a member of the conspiracy theory message board Above Top Secret, although members of the site did not respond warmly to his posts. Loughner espoused 9/11 conspiracy theories, New World Order conspiracy theories, and beliefs in a 2012 apocalypse.

The material also said reports appearing after the shooting noted similarities between statements made by Loughner and views of conspiracy theorist David Wynn Miller. The Anti-Defamation League's report also confirmed his longstanding interest in conspiracy theories.

While there was speculation about anti-Semitism due to the attempted murder of Rep. Giffords, the Anti-Defamation League analysis found that he had a more generalized dislike of religion. The material said Loughner declined to state his religion in his Army application and stated on YouTube and internet forums that "God couldn't be a possible" and "I won't trust in God!"

Changes in attitude and demeanor

Tong Shan, a former friend and classmate, recalled significant changes in Loughner's attitude and demeanor a year prior to the shooting. Shan said that when she and Loughner met again in mid-2010, he appeared "radically different". She said: "From the way he was talking to me [online]...you can see. It was just questions and questions and random, weird questions that didn't go together," and: "He wanted to know everything...he would just trip out." She said that Loughner was "a good person that just somehow changed so much. I don't know what the hell happened to him." Shan stated her last encounter with Loughner was in October 2010 after suspension and dropping out of school and just before he purchased the semi-automatic handgun used in the massacre. She said he was "anti-government" and never appeared violent and did not mention plans to buy a gun.

Classmates recalled an incident during a class discussion where Loughner mocked and laughed at a young woman describing her abortion. One classmate described his reaction as "wildly inappropriate". Former classmate Don Coorough recalled to ABC News: "(Loughner) started making comments about terrorism and laughing about killing the baby," and another classmate, Lydian Ali, recalled that "a girl had written a poem about an abortion. It was very emotional and she was teary eyed and he said something about strapping a bomb to the fetus and making a baby bomb out of it." Former classmate Caitie Parker remembered Loughner as a "pot head".

The material stated he was arrested in September 2007 for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Arrest and immediate custody

At the scene, Loughner was subdued by bystanders and was arrested by police, saying, "I plead the Fifth," as he was taken into custody. A photograph released to the media on January 10, 2011 showed him and was described by the Washington Post as "smirking and creepy, with hollow eyes ablaze." The art director for the New York Times stated it was placed on the front page because it "was the picture of the day [...] it was intense and arresting. It invited you to look and study, and wonder."

Loughner was held without bail in the Federal Correctional Institution at Phoenix, kept isolated from other inmates 23 hours a day and allowed out of his cell for one hour a day to shower and exercise. On February 24, 2011, he was transferred to the United States Penitentiary in Tucson.

Charges and legal proceedings

Federal charges and indictments

Loughner was charged in federal court with one count of attempted assassination of a member of Congress, two counts of murder of a federal employee (including Judge Roll), and two counts of attempting to murder a federal employee.

He was indicted on three of the charges on January 19, 2011.

A federal grand jury indicted him on additional charges of murder and attempted murder on March 3, 2011 for a total of 49 counts. On March 9, 2011, he pleaded not guilty to all 49 charges.

Arizona also had concurrent jurisdiction. The material stated prosecutors representing Arizona intended to file murder and attempted murder charges on behalf of other victims who were not members of Congress or federal employees, and that Arizona law does not permit a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity but does allow for a verdict of guilty but insane.

Attorney and assignments

Attorney Judy Clarke was appointed to represent Loughner in federal court. The entire federal judiciary of Arizona recused themselves from hearing the case because of ties to victim and fellow judge, John Roll.

At the direction of Ninth Circuit Appeals court Chief Judge Kozinski, the federal case was assigned to San Diego-based Judge Larry Alan Burns from the Southern District of California. The case proceedings occurred in the federal judiciary process described in the material.

Initial plea proceedings

On January 24, 2011, Loughner appeared at the Sandra Day O'Connor U.S. Courthouse in Phoenix before Judge Larry Alan Burns. When presented with the charges, a plea of not guilty was recorded. Loughner's attorney, Judy Clarke, requested Judge Burns select a plea on her client's behalf. When Burns asked Clarke if Loughner understood the charges, she replied that they were "not raising that issue" at the time. Clarke also did not object to a request by prosecutors to move future hearings back to Tucson.

Competency and forced medication litigation

Judge Burns stated on May 25, 2011 that he got some letters declaring conflict with counsel and intended to table them until his competency was restored. The judge suppressed the letters from the court record.

On May 25, 2011, Judge Burns ruled Loughner was then incompetent to stand trial based on two medical evaluations. Court proceedings were suspended while Loughner, diagnosed with schizophrenia, underwent psychiatric treatment at the psychiatric wing of the U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri.

The material stated Loughner was scheduled to appear on September 21, 2011, but the hearing was delayed until September 28, 2011. At that hearing, Loughner disrupted the court hearing with an outburst and was carried from the court room. It further stated that Loughner believes he succeeded in killing Giffords and clashed with his lawyer when she informed him that the congresswoman had survived.

On June 26, 2011, Judge Burns ruled prison doctors could forcibly medicate Loughner with antipsychotic drugs to make him fit to stand trial. On July 12, 2011, a three-judge federal appeals panel from the Ninth Circuit ruled that Loughner could refuse anti-psychotic medication, since he "has not been convicted of a crime, is presumptively innocent and is therefore entitled to greater constitutional protections than a convicted inmate." The ruling stated it "does not preclude prison authorities from taking other measures to maintain the safety of prison personnel, other inmates and Loughner himself, including forced administration of tranquilizers".

A week after that ruling, prison medical authorities resumed forcible treatment of Loughner with risperidone, citing Washington v. Harper and stating treatment was for the need to control the danger he posed to himself and others in prison, rather than rendering him fit for trial. Loughner's defense team submitted an emergency motion to the Ninth Circuit seeking an injunction halting treatment. The request for an injunction was denied, allowing treatment to continue pending a full hearing into the matter.

Arguments began on August 30, and in March 2012 a federal appeals court denied a request by Loughner's lawyers to halt forced medication.

On May 24, 2012 a federal judge ordered a competency hearing for June 27 to determine mental fitness, later postponed until August 7. The material stated that a request to rehear arguments on forced medication was denied on June 5, 2012.

Guilty plea and sentencing

On Tuesday, August 7, 2012, Judge Burns found Loughner competent to stand trial. Loughner pleaded guilty to 19 counts at the hearing, sparing him the death penalty. The hearing began with testimony from Dr. Christina Pietz, Loughner's forensic psychologist, who testified that Loughner displayed depressive symptoms in 2006 and was formally diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2011. Dr. Pietz stated that after forcibly medicated for more than a year, Loughner expressed remorse and was a changed individual, and that he was competent to stand trial and agree to a plea.

Sentencing had been set for November 15, 2012 at 10 a.m. local time. The material stated that the sentence could not include the death penalty because the guilty plea bargain was made with an assurance that it would not be sought; Loughner therefore faced a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

Former U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords and her husband, retired NASA astronaut Mark Kelly, U.S. Representative Ron Barber, a former aide to Giffords, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, and the U.S. Attorney for Arizona, John S. Leonardo, had approved the plea, which was offered and accepted after consultation with them and with loved ones of other victims.

By pleading guilty, the material stated Loughner waived his right to any further appeals and could not later alter his plea to an insanity plea.

The material stated Loughner had to pay restitution of $19 million, with $1 million for each of the victims. He forfeited the weapons he used in the incident, and any money earned from efforts to sell his story.

Loughner signed initials after each page of the agreement and shakily signed his name, dated August 6.

On November 8, 2012, Loughner appeared in front of U.S. District Court Judge Larry Alan Burns. The material states he was sentenced to serve seven consecutive life terms plus 140 years in prison without parole.

The material included quoted statements by attendees during sentencing. Retired astronaut Mark Kelly said: "Gabby would trade her own life for one you took on that day,” Kelly said of his wife, whose efforts to recover have inspired many people across the nation. “Every day is a continuous struggle to do the things she was once so very good at.” Kelly also said: "Mr. Loughner, you may have put a bullet through her head but you haven't put a dent in her spirit and your commitment to make the world a better place,” Kelly further said: "You tried to create for all of us a world as dark and evil as your own,” and also: "But know this, and remember it always: You failed." Kelly stated: "You have decades upon decades to contemplate what you did. But after today, after this moment, here and now, Gabby and I are done thinking about you." The material said Giffords kissed Kelly when he finished.

The material included a quote from U.S. District Court Judge Larry A. Burns: "The evidence clearly shows that he knew what he was doing, despite his mental illness," and: "He called the length of the sentence justified."

Susan Hileman said: "We've been told about your demons, about the illness that skewed your thinking,” adding, “It's all true. ... It's not enough." She also said: "You pointed a weapon and shot me three times,” and: "And now I walk out of this courtroom and into the rest of my life and I won't think of you again."

Victims and injured

Killed

Six people died in the attack. The deceased were:

• Christina-Taylor Green, 9, of Tucson.
• Dorothy "Dot" Morris, 76, a retired secretary from Oro Valley.
• John Roll, 63, chief judge of the U.S. District Court for Arizona.
• Phyllis Schneck, 79, homemaker from Tucson.
• Dorwan Stoddard, 76, retired construction worker, from a gunshot wound to the head.
• Gabriel "Gabe" Zimmerman, 30, community outreach director for Giffords and a member of Giffords' staff since 2006.

The material stated Green was accompanied to the meeting by neighbor Susan Hileman. Green was born on September 11, 2001 and appeared in the book Faces of Hope: Babies Born on 9/11 (page 41). Green was the granddaughter of former Major League Baseball player and manager Dallas Green.

The material stated Dot Morris was wife of George, who was wounded. Dorwan Stoddard's wife Mavy was wounded. It also stated that John Roll was named to the federal bench by President George H. W. Bush in 1991.

Injured

Thirteen people were wounded in the attack, and a fourteenth person was injured at the scene but was determined not to have been shot. Gabrielle Giffords and two other members of her staff were among the surviving gunshot victims. U.S. Representative Ron Barber was a wounded survivor described as replacing his boss in Congress.

Other details

Loughner's alleged pre-offence conduct and statements

The material stated that Loughner allegedly purchased a 9mm Glock pistol used in the shooting from Sportsman's Warehouse in Tucson on November 30, 2010.

The night before the shooting, he left a message on a friend's voicemail saying: "Hey man, it's Jared. Me and you had good times. Peace out. Later."

In a Myspace post on the morning of the shooting at 4:12 am, he wrote: "Goodbye friends. Please don't be mad at me. The literacy rate is below 5%. I haven't talked to one person who is literate. I want to make it out alive. The longest war in the history of the United States. Goodbye. I'm saddened with the current currency and job employment. I had a bully at school. Thank you. P.S. --plead the fifth!"

Photos on the Myspace page showed a close-up picture of a handgun sitting atop a document titled "United States History."

At 7:04 am MST (UTC-7), Loughner went to a Wal-Mart store in the Foothills Mall to purchase ammunition but left the store and completed his purchase at a Super Wal-Mart on North Cortaro Road at 7:28 am. He was stopped by an Arizona Game and Fish Department officer at 7:34 am MST for running a red light; once the officer determined there were no outstanding warrants, Loughner was allowed to proceed to his destination with a warning to drive carefully.

He then took a taxi to a Safeway supermarket location in Casas Adobes, where Giffords was holding a constituents meeting. The shooting occurred at 10:10 am MST (UTC-7).

Pre-offence disruption involving his father

The material stated that earlier on the day of the attack, Loughner had an altercation with his father. It described that his father had watched him take a black bag from a car trunk. After being confronted about the bag, Loughner mumbled and ran away, resulting in his father chasing him in a car. A bag matching the description was later found in a nearby desert area containing 9mm ammunition, and a Pima County Sheriff's Deputy believed it belonged to Loughner.

Registration and voting records

Pima County Registrar of Voters records showed Loughner registered as an independent on September 29, 2006, and voted in 2006 and 2008 but not in 2010.

Military application and rejection

The material stated that the U.S. Army rejected him as "unqualified" for service in 2008, and military sources said he admitted to marijuana use during the application process. It also said an administration official indicated to the media this was due to a failed drug test.

Statements by other persons present during investigation and aftermath

The material included quotes from family and witnesses:

• Neighbor Wayne Smith said Loughner's mother "almost passed out right there," while his father sat in the road and cried after police tape and police cars were around their house.
• Smith described the family as "devastated", feeling guilty, and wondering "where did they fail?"
• Loughner's parents released a statement three days later saying: "We don't understand why this happened."
• The shelter manager said: "He was walking dogs in an area we didn't want dogs walked...he didn't understand or comprehend what the supervisor was trying to tell him.
• Shan said: "From the way he was talking to me [online]...you can see. It was just questions and questions and random, weird questions that didn't go together," and: "He wanted to know everything...he would just trip out."
• Shan said: "a good person that just somehow changed so much. I don't know what the hell happened to him."

Interaction with legal process involving plea and waiver

The material stated that the guilty plea deal included dismissal of 30 other charges and resulted in a sentence of seven consecutive life terms followed by 140 years in prison, and that the deal spared Loughner the death penalty.

Characterizations and legal narrative about motive

The material stated that the motive for the shooting remains unclear; Loughner did not cooperate with authorities and invoked his right to remain silent.

Memorials and aftermath actions described

U.S. flags flew at half-staff from January 9, 2011 until sunset on January 15, 2011 in honor of the victims. A national moment of silence was held at 11:00 am EST on January 10, 2011 on the South Lawn of the White House and at the steps of the United States Capitol.

After the shooting, the Safeway store reopened with a makeshift memorial; at the 2011 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, Giffords' intern Daniel Hernandez Jr. was accompanied onto the field by the families of the shooting victims and threw the ceremonial first pitch; and for the 2011 State of the Union Address, Senator Mark Udall proposed that members of both houses sit together regardless of party with one seat left empty in honor of Giffords.

Christina-Taylor Green was memorialized by Penn State University with a brick on the Alumni Walk at the Hintz Family Alumni Center after then-university president Graham Spanier announced in March 2011 that Green had "a profound impact on the university community." The university issued her parents a diploma-like certificate recognizing Green for embodying Penn State ideals of academic excellence, athletic success with honor and compassionate civic leadership.

On the night of January 11, Governor Jan Brewer signed emergency legislation to prohibit protests within 300 feet (91 m) of any funeral services in response to an announcement by the Westboro Baptist Church that it planned to picket the funeral of Christina-Taylor Green.

Medication, mental health findings, and competency

The material stated Loughner had been diagnosed with schizophrenia. It also stated a judge found him incompetent to stand trial based on two medical evaluations on May 25, 2011, and later found him competent to stand trial on August 7, 2012. It included that he was scheduled for a competency hearing and that forced medication with antipsychotic drugs, including risperidone, was used following rulings and litigation about his ability to refuse treatment.