Latest on Arizona Shootings: 6 Dead & 13 Wounded, Congresswoman Giffords Critical, 2nd Suspect Sought

Photo: Matt York (Associated Press)US Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona is in critical condition after surgery for a single "through-and-through" gunshot wound to the head.

Giffords, a Democrat, was the first victim in a mass shooting as she held a "Congress on Your Corner" event outside a Safeway supermarket in Tucson. The gunman, alleged to be 22-year-old Jared Loughner, then fired into the crowd, killing six people, including Federal Judge John Roll and a 9-year-old girl. Thirteen other people, including Giffords, were wounded.

The shooting took place about 10 a.m. local time (1700 GMT) on Saturday. The gunman used a semi-automatic Glock pistol, firing about 20 shots, before he was overpowered as he tried to reload.

Loughner, the alleged gunman, had posted YouTube videos telling viewers about their "new currency": 

The current government officials are in power for their currency, but I'm informing you for your new currency! If you're treasurer of a new money system, then you're responsible for the distributing of a new currency.

On his MySpace page, now removed, Lougher posted a "Goodbye friends" message hours before the shooting: "Please don't be mad at me." The photo on the page had a pistol laid across a picture of the White House and a textbook cover "United States History".

Police are now seeking a second suspect, apparently because he drove Loughner to the site of the shooting. A photo of the Caucasian man , 40 to 50 years old with dark hair and wearing blue jeans and a dark blue jacket, has been released.

Giffords, who had been in Congress since 2006, is considered a moderate Democrat. She had drawn the political attention of Republicans for her support of health care reform. Immediately after news of the shootings, there was a lot of attention to a Webpage set up by Sarah Palin's office, in which the former Alaska Governor had put gunsights over 20 targeted seats for Republican takeover in 2012. One of those seats was Gifford's.

The website, www.takebackthe20.com, was withdrawn soon after the shooting. 

Last March, after her office was vandalised, Giffords spoke about being a target of political violence and commented about the Palin website.

On Saturday, Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik, discussing the shootings and investigation, said:

When you look at unbalanced people, how they respond to the vitriol that comes out of certain mouths about tearing down the government. The anger, the hatred, the bigotry that goes on in this country is getting to be outrageous. And unfortunately, Arizona I think has become sort of the capital. We have become the mecca for prejudice and bigotry.