On Saturday, January 8 at 10:10 am, a massive shooting occurred at a Safeway grocery store in Tucson, Arizona, ending with congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and six left dead and 12 others injured.

Six out of the eighteen victims were killed during the attack.  Some of the fatalities include Judge John Roll, Gabe Zimmerman a social worker, and the youngest victim, nine year old Christina Taylor Green who had dreams of being the first female major league baseball player.

Junior Lexy Scott states,” I was shocked in disbelief that some guy can take the lives of six people at the drop of the pen; one being a nine-year-old girl.”

Giffords took a bullet to the left hemisphere of her brain.  Her intern Daniel Hernandez, 20, got to her as soon as he could and he applied pressure to her bullet wound--which officials believe, saved her life.  When emergency vehicles came to take her to the University Medical Center, she was responsive and was able to follow simple commands such as holding up two fingers and squeezing her intern’s hand.

She was under stable but critical condition and was put in a medically induced coma after she underwent surgery to remove the bullet and repair damage.

”I feel like it's a miracle that she's still alive,” says junior Chad Henderson.

Chief neurosurgeon, Michael Lemole, believes that it will take months for her to completely recover. 

During President Barack Obama’s speech Wednesday, January 12, he paid his respects to the victims’ families and he announced that Giffords opened her eyes. The surgeons believe that they are witnessing a miracle and they told the media that that she is moving her legs. 

The Surgeon also announced she had a minor surgery on her eye that was reconstructed on Saturday, January 15. The two hour operation consisted of removing part of her eye.

She is healing as Dr. Lemole has anticipated and she has been placed in a rehabilitation center at Texas Medical Center in Houston, Texas. She has a breathing tube in her throat, but she cannot speak.  Neurosurgeon Dong Kim removed a drain from Giffords brain last Monday to remove excess fluid from her brain.  She is recovering like a “lightening bolt” according to most doctors and it is projected to take four to six months for her to fully recovery.

The alleged suspect, 22 year-old, Jared Lee Loughner, was tackled to the ground by two men after a woman took his gun from him. On January 10, Loughner had his first court appearance for a brief trial to hear what the charges were against him his court day that took place Monday was at the U.S. District Court of Arizona in Phoenix. 

Loughner pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder and he had the same smirk on his face that he had on his mug shot. Some of the counts include attempted murder of congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and her aids Ron Barber and Pamela Simon. During court he chuckled at the sight of spectators at the top balcony at the court.  He remained silent when he wasn’t spoken to, but he kept a slight smile on his face. Another court day will be scheduled for March 9.

The Loughner family sent a letter to the media stating their sympathies for the families of the fatalities from the shooting.  They requested privacy because this is a hard time for them.

During the investigation, a note degrading the congresswoman was discovered by Pima County Sheriff Department at Loughner’s house. Also, a teenage boy found a bag containing ammunition such as a 9 mm pistol in a riverbed while walking his dog that is believed to be linked to the suspect. 

Since being placed in federal custody he has sat in his cell with a smirk on his face according to Inside Edition. This has angered and concerned many people across the nation, but the recovery of the congress woman has encouraged them to stand together strongly.