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Obama, US Hold Moment of Silence for Shooting Victims

   VOA News 10 January 2011
   A  woman  carrying  âPeaceâ  and  âHopeâ  signs  arrives at a memorial
   outside  the  offices  of  congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson,
   Arizona, 09 Jan 2011

Photo: Reuters

   A  woman  carrying  âPeaceâ  and  âHopeâ  signs  arrives at a memorial
   outside  the  offices  of  congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson,
   Arizona, 09 Jan 2011

   U.S. President Barack Obama has led the nation in a moment of silence,
   to  honor  the  victims  of a mass shooting that killed six people and
   left a member of Congress critically wounded.
   The president and first lady Michelle Obama paused Monday at the White
   House,  and  staff  and  visitors  gathered  on  the steps of the U.S.
   Capitol building to pay tribute to the victims of Saturday's attack in
   Tucson  ((pron: TOO-sahn)), Arizona.  The New York Stock Exchange and
   other public institutions also fell silent.
   The  shooting  happened as House Representative Gabrielle Giffords met
   with  constituents  outside a grocery store.  Those killed included a
   federal judge, one of Giffords' aides, and a nine-year-old girl. Â
   Speaking  Monday in Abu Dhabi, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
   called  the  shooter  an  "extremist"  and  described  the 40-year-old
   Giffords as a "wonderful, incredibly brave young woman."
   The  alleged  gunman  is  to  appear  in  a  federal  court in Phoenix
   ((Arizona)) on Monday.  He faces one count of attempted assassination
   of  a  member  of  Congress,  two counts of killing an employee of the
   federal  government  and  two  counts  of attempting to kill a federal
   employee.
   The  speaker  of the House of Representatives, John Boehner, said that
   House  votes  scheduled  for  this  week are postponed.  Flags at the
   White House and other public and military buildings are to be flown at
   half-staff for the week. Â
   Medical  authorities  on  Sunday said they are "cautiously optimistic"
   about Giffords' recovery.
   Dr.  Peter  Rhee of Arizona's University Medical Center told reporters
   Giffords,  who  was  shot  in  the  head  during  the  attack, is in a
   medically  induced  coma  as  she begins to recover from surgery.  He
   said she has been following simple commands.
   Police  say  a  woman  waiting  in  line  to meet Giffords grabbed the
   ammunition  clip  out of the shooter's hand as he paused to reload the
   gun.    Two  other  bystanders  then  tackled  the  gunman,  who  was
   apprehended at the scene.
   Doctors  said  of  the  14  people  wounded,  only Giffords remains in
   critical condition. Â
   In  several  videos  on the YouTube website, a person who posted under
   the   name   of  the  alleged  shooter,  22-year-old  Jared  Loughner,
   criticizes  the  government  and  calls  for  a  new  currency.   Law
   enforcement officials say they are investigating the videos.
   Last  March,  Giffords was one of at least 10 House Democrats harassed
   for  their  support  of the U.S. health care reform legislation.  The
   front  door  of  her  office  in  Tucson  was  shattered  in an act of
   vandalism.
   In  November,  Giffords was re-elected to a third term in the House of
   Representatives.  She was first elected to Congress in 2006.

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