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Killing Spree in Arizona

Aired January 08, 2011 - 19:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

BLITZER: Don, thanks very much. We're watching what's happening. It's a dramatic story, unfortunately, a horrible story at the same time. Our live coverage of today's breaking news continues right now.

The shooting of Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. She was shot in the head, but survived and was rushed into surgery. Her doctor now says he is very optimistic about Giffords chances of recovery.

A gunman opened fire while Giffords was meeting with her constituents at a grocery store parking lot in Tucson, Arizona. Six of the victims are dead among them, a 9-year-old girl and a federal judge. Giffords is among the 12 wounded.

Police have a 22-year-old suspect in custody. He's identified at Jared Lee Loughner.

Here's what we know about today's events, how they unfolded. Giffords public meeting was scheduled to run from 10:00 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. Tucson time, that's noon to 1:30 p.m. Eastern. She was at a Safeway store in northwestern Tucson. Authorities haven't said exactly when the shooting happened.

CNN first confirmed the story at 1:05 p.m. Eastern Time, or 11:05 in Tucson. By that time, helicopters had rushed some of the victims to Tucson hospitals. CNN's first bulletin was at 1:28 p.m. Eastern, 11:29 a.m. Tucson time. That was the first bulletin that we had. That was unfortunately word that there had been this shooting and there were several people dead. We did not know then what Gabrielle Giffords condition was.

The next two and a half hours though of this story unfolded, including contradictory remarks, contradictory reports, including an original erroneous report that she had died. Fortunately, she is alive.

Gabrielle Giffords is relatively new to Capitol Hill, but not to public service. She was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2006, part of the Democratic wave that took control of both houses of Congress. She was elected to the Arizona House in 2000 and the Arizona Senate in 2002. At the time, she was 32 years old, the youngest woman ever elected to that chamber.

Giffords resigned from the Arizona Senate to run for Congress where she succeeded 11-term Republican Jim Kolbe, who retired.

In 2007, Gabrielle Gifford married an astronaut, Mark Kelly. He's due to command the last mission of the space shuttle Endeavour that's scheduled in April. Kelly's twin brother is also an astronaut, currently on the International Space Station.

When members of Congress read the U.S. Constitution on the floor of the House this week, Congresswoman Giffords read the First Amendment. Among its guarantees is the right of the people to peaceably assemble. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. GABRIELLE GIFFORDS (D), ARIZONA: The First Amendment: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the government for redress of grievances."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: CNN's Ted Rowlands is over the University Medical Center in Tucson where Congresswoman Giffords underwent hours of surgery today.

What do we know right now, Ted?

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): Well, Wolf, what we do know is that doctors here are, quote, "very optimistic." They say that the congresswoman was communicating with them before surgery. Out of surgery, they said that the next 24 hours are critical, but out of surgery, they said they are very optimistic that she will make a recovery here.

And the extent of that recovery is not known at this point. She obviously suffered a very serious injury, a grave injury -- a bullet through her -- entering one portion of her head and exiting another and going through her brain.

So, they don't know the extent of her long time injuries, but at this point, the good news is that they're very optimistic that she will make a recovery. These next 24 hours, critical.

BLITZER: And they've scheduled, I take it, another news conference fairly soon to update us on what's going on, is that right?

ROWLANDS: Another news conference is set up for 6:00 local time and that will be more from law enforcement than from the hospital. So, we're hoping to get more details as to the identity of the shooter, who we have reported. But we're hoping to get that, not only get the details of the identity, but also possible motive, whether he's cooperating, what he's saying, all of the unanswered questions at this point. Hopefully, we'll get those within the next few hours.

BLITZER: Yes, that news conference at the top of the next hour. We'll of course have live coverage.

Ted, what are they saying about the others at the hospital right now?

ROWLANDS: At University Medical Center here, they received 10 of the wounded. Five of them, including the congressman, were very seriously wounded. They went into surgery. Some of them are out, including the congressman. Unfortunately, one of the seriously wounded, 9-year-old little girl didn't survive (ph) at the hospital. They tried to revive her and save her, but were unsuccessful. And she died at the hospital.

BLITZER: And that's it -- that's the situation. This is considered, I assume, the premier hospital or at least one of the premier hospitals in the Tucson area, is that right?

ROWLANDS: Absolutely. And 10 of the 12 injured were brought to the hospital -- to the University Medical Center and this was where they wanted to bring those most seriously injured, including the congresswoman. This is the premier facility, so this is where the bulk of the injured have come. And this is where all the activity is taking place.

BLITZER: It looks like the surgeons, we hope, save her life and we hope they'll save the lives of some of the others who are wounded as well. Six confirmed dead, 12 wounded. And many of those 12 at that hospital where Ted is.

We're going to stand -- stay in touch with you, Ted. Let us know when you get more information.

Once again, we want too let our viewers know we will have live coverage of the next news conference. That's coming up at the top of the hour, 8:00 p.m. Eastern, 6:00 p.m. Mountain Time. We'll have live coverage of that news conference as soon as it happens.

The surgeon who spoke about Congresswoman Giffords' condition made this statement to reporters not that long ago. Let's listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, KGUN, 2PM MT, 4PM ET)

DR. PETER RHEE, UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER: No, the congresswoman is not deceased.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Can you tell us her condition currently?

RHEE: She is in critical condition. She is -- the neurosurgeons have finished operating on her. And I can tell you, at the current time period, I'm very optimistic about recovery.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Can you tell us where she was shot and her injuries?

RHEE: She was shot in the head.

(INAUDIBLE)

RHEE: I do not know that specific information at this point. I can't tell you that the person that did die here at the hospital was a young child.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Do you know if (INAUDIBLE) to kind of give us an idea of what her condition was like?

RHEE: Which patient?

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Giffords.

RHEE: Gabrielle Giffords was, very optimistic. She was following commands.

(INAUDIBLE)

RHEE: She was shot one time.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Where?

RHEE: In the head, through and through.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Front lobe, back lobe?

RHEE: Through and through from the -- I can't tell you right now for -- obviously, for forensic purposes, what direction. But she was shot through and through on one side of the head, went through her brain.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: When you say optimistic, are you optimist for full recovery? Or it's too early to tell?

RHEE: We cannot tell what kind of recovery. But I'm about as optimistic as it can get in this situation.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: She's currently being operated on?

RHEE: Surgery's been completed.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: And what the recovery like? Where is she?

RHEE: She will go to our intensive care unit.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Is he in coma? Is she conscious?

RHEE: She's under anesthesia right now. So, we don't know what it's going to be like for a while. What we -- what I'm anticipating is what her recovery is in the next 24 hours, which will give me a lot more information. But I can (INAUDIBLE) about her prognosis.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: All right. Let's bring in our chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta. He's joining us from the CNN Center.

Sanjay is a practicing neurosurgeon himself.

So, you heard Dr. Peter Rhee described what was going on. Let's go through some of the specifics, Sanjay, and you can explain, interpret what they mean to you as a neurosurgeon. He's very optimistic, he says, that she is following commands. Explain what that says to you.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's probably the most valuable piece of information, the most important piece of information, and very, very important and good sign, Wolf. What it means is that she is able to hear something, she's able to process that information and then able to execute a command on that.

So, the scenario typically is she is out of surgery, still -- you know, still waking up from surgery, may still have a breathing tube in, for example, but awake enough to be able to hear and then be told something simple like lift up two fingers or something like that, wiggle your toes. And if she's doing those things in response to command, not just reflex activity of any sort, then that indicates a very good and high function of the brain. So, that was the most important thing that I heard as well.

Ted Rowlands, incidentally, Wolf, just gave us new information there as you may heard him saying, that she was actually able to communicate when she got to the hospital with the surgeons as well. So, she, for example, had not been rendered unconscious, it sounded like, from this -- from this gunshot wound to the head.

So, both those pieces of information, very important, very good, Wolf.

BLITZER: And it sounds to me like she's obviously not in a coma, because if she were in a coma, she wouldn't be responding to commands. But here's the question, Sanjay: Would they induce a coma? Would that be a situation in this kind of condition?

GUPTA: The reason they typically would induce a coma, Wolf, is if there is a significant brain swelling, where the brain is just swelling so much against the hard surface of the skull, because the brain is encased by the skull, when it swells, it has nowhere to go. You have swelling in your abdomen, for example, your abdomen can distend, for example. But brain swelling, it's very significant problem -- we induce a coma to sort of put the brain to rest for a period of time.

But that's done in a different situation, Wolf. If she is following commands, if she's able to hear, respond in the way that it sounds like the surgeon described, it probably indicates that she does not have significant brain swelling. They're going to monitor to see if she develops it over the next day or two. But, right now, it doesn't sound like she would need to have any kind of coma induced.

BLITZER: Well, that would be good. That would be very good.

Now, the doctor, Dr. Rhee said she was shot on one side through her brain. In other words, the bullet went through her brain and went out. I assume that's what he means. Does it make a difference -- a significant difference in terms of long-term, not only survival but recovery, which side of the brain that might be? Because he wouldn't tell us.

GUPTA: That's right. And it was unclear if he didn't know for sure, or why. But he said it was because of forensics.

It does to some extent make a difference, Wolf. You know, the left side of the brain in most people is more responsible for speech, for your ability -- when I say speech, it means your ability to understand communication, whether it will be the spoken or written word, and your ability to speak or write and all those sorts of things.

But the right side of the brain has other types of functions. But they are different in term terms of what side is going to control what.

But again, given the fact she is following commands, that's the most important thing, because even if the injury was on the left of the brain and you were worried about her ability to understand speech, she has now demonstrated that she can, by that simple act of -- simply holding up two fingers or whatever it was the command may asked her to do, that tells us so much in terms of higher brain function here, Wolf.

BLITZER: And he said that at one point, and I'm paraphrasing, but it's almost a direct quote -- I'm about as optimistic as you can be in this type of situation.

You think that's very, very encouraging -- because normally, surgeons emerge from these kinds of operations and they don't want to say if they're optimistic or pessimistic. They just give you the bare bones.

GUPTA: I was surprised, to be candid, Wolf, that he was that frank really here. I'm delighted that he said it, certainly.

But you're right. Typically, certainly in the immediate aftermath of an operation, most surgeons are going to, you know, sort of hold their cards pretty close to the vest just because, you know, it's a dynamic situation here. You know, it's obviously a significant injury. You worry about all sorts of things, including the brain swelling we were just talking about, blood pressure difficulties later on down the line, bleeding problems, you know, from the brain.

So -- but given that he said it, I heard it the same as you, Wolf, he was very, very candid and forceful when he said it. I think that's obviously a very important and good thing. It may mean that the degree of injury that she has, while you think of a gunshot wound to the head, obviously a very alarming thing, but maybe it wasn't as deep a penetration. Maybe it was more of a glancing shot. We don't know. No one has told us.

But given that he said that, you know, I think I would take away the best news possible after this sort of thing happens.

BLITZER: And it looks like this is an excellent hospital where these people were operated on. And we can only hope and pray for the best.

Sanjay, we're going to stay in close touch with you. Thank you very, very much, Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

GUPTA: Thank you. You got it.

BLITZER: I just want to remind our viewers, he's a practicing neurosurgeon among other things as well. Six people lost their lives in today's shooting. President Obama says one of those killed was the Chief Judge John Roll of the U.S. district court for Arizona. Authorities also say a 9-year-old girl is among the dead. Her identity has not yet been released.

John Roll was pointed in 1991 by the first President Bush. In 2009, he and his family were targeted with threats because of a lawsuit by illegal immigrants against a local rancher. Judge Roll allowed that $32 million lawsuit to go forward, which provoked an angry backlash. U.S. Marshals provided Judge Roll and his family around the clock protection for several weeks.

More recently, Roll was criticized for asking for a delay of federal criminal trials in Tucson, saying the court system had become overwhelmed.

We're getting new information from CNN's Jessica Yellin. Stand by. We're about to check in with her. She's learning more about the suspect in this case.

Our special coverage continues right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: You're watching CNN's special coverage of today's killing spree in Arizona.

A federal judge was killed, a U.S. congresswoman gravely hurt when a man with a handgun opened fire on a gathering outside a supermarket in Tucson. In all, six people are now confirmed dead, including a 9- year-old girl. A dozen people are wounded. The suspect is said to be in custody.

The wounded congresswoman is Gabrielle Giffords, a Democrat just starting her third term in the House of Representatives.

The gathering was a constituent meeting, the kind mostly every member of Congress holds all the time. There's n indication yet of any motive, but the state and federal investigations are only just beginning. Congresswoman Giffords was shot through the brain and remains in critical condition right now. Her surgeons are said to be, quote, "very optimistic" she will recover.

CNN's Jessica Yellin has been checking with her sources and she's getting some information on the suspect in this case, Jared Lee Loughner.

What do we -- what are you learning?

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, my sources in Arizona, law enforcement official, tells me the suspect, the 22-year-old, has invoked his right against self-incrimination, which means he is not talking to investigators right now. No doubt that's part of the reason we are hearing that motivation is still unknown, and no doubt complicates this investigation for them. BLITZER: We're getting a lot of information on the Web from his various e-mails and his Web sites, and YouTube, Facebook and it paints a very disturbing picture.

YELLIN: And not a surprise that this would be so disturbing. But they are in the process of trying to nail down the nuts and bolts of what was going on. And again, the fact that he is invoked his Fifth Amendment right against incrimination creates something of a problems to them as they proceed with the investigation, a challenge.

BLITZER: This congresswoman was incredibly well-liked on Capitol Hill, and not only by Democrats but by Republicans as well, including her colleagues, Democratic colleagues and Republican colleagues from Arizona. It's really been a -- but you're looking into her background and what's going on.

YELLIN: Well, she was -- first of all, as you say, beloved. That's one of the reasons you hear people on both sides of the aisle praise her as a person and her warmth -- we do know she was targeted earlier this year after the health care vote in the House of Representatives.

About 10 Democrats saw themselves targeted in various ways. The door at her office, at her home district was smashed. She was one of those vandalized. And in her statement to the "New York Times" after that, she said, this is a quote, this is Gabrielle Giffords at the time, "I have a Glock 9 millimeter and I'm a pretty good shot." Now, that could be just an eerie coincidence. But we are reporting that she was not by a Glock 9 millimeter today.

BLITZER: And that is very, very eerie coincidence maybe -- maybe not necessarily a coincidence, but it's a very, very disturbing situation. She was what they call a Blue Dog Democrat, a very moderate if not conservative Democrat representing that district in Arizona. Not from the far left, from the very liberal side of the Democratic Party.

YELLIN: No. In fact, she was recruited by Rahm Emanuel in that year when he was able to help bring in so many sort of Blue Democrats in red district. And he was one of the ones who helped encourage her to do these Congress at your corner. It was one of the things the Democrats did to help keep Democrats in office, that was what she was doing today when she was shot.

BLITZER: All right. I know you are checking with your sources and you get to us with more. Jessica Yellin, thank you very, very much.

We're live at the White House with President Obama's reaction to the shootings in Tucson. That's coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: You're watching CNN's special coverage of breaking news out of Tucson, Arizona. A federal judge is dead, a congresswoman critically wounded from a mass shooting this morning at an Arizona supermarket.

Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was holding a public event at a Safeway in north Tucson when a gunman opened fire. Six people were killed, including a 9-year-old girl. The suspect gunman, 22- year-old Jared Lee Loughner is in custody. A 9 millimeter handgun was recovered.

Giffords seen here with her husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, had just won her third term after a close and contentious campaign. She was meeting this morning with constituents outside a busy Safeway supermarket when the shooting started. Doctors say the congresswoman is out of surgery, is expected to survive.

As we said, Federal Judge John Roll was among those killed. He was appointed to the bench by the first President Bush in 1991. He was given 24-hour protection for several weeks in 2009 because of threats after he allowed a $32 million lawsuit to go forward against a rancher.

Let's bring in CNN's homeland security correspondent Jeanne Meserve. She's getting more information on the suspect in this case.

What are you learning, Jeanne?

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, we, of course, went to the Internet to see if he had made any postings there and we believe that he has. We're going to show these to you because they were posted by a Jared Loughner of Tucson.

A law enforcement source with knowledge of this investigation pointed us to these sites and also, these sites were taken down after he was publicly named.

There is a YouTube site, which we believe is his and the postings here are somewhat rambling, somewhat incoherent, but indicate some unhappiness with the U.S. government, concerns with the currency system and also with the U.S. Constitution.

Let me give you some samples. In one entitled, "This Student at Pima Community College," he says, "Every police officer in the United States as of now is unconstitutionally working. Pima Community College police are police in the United States. Therefore, Pima Community College police are unconstitutionally working. The police are unconstitutionally working."

As you can see, a little bit different, a little bit unusual, hard to make exact sense of what he's trying to get across here. But it does indicate something about the issues that were of concern to him.

From another one called, "How to Mind Controller." "I'm able to control every belief and religion by being the mind controller."

And in another, called "Introduction, Jared Loughner." It begins, "My final thoughts, Jared Loughner."

Also, one I wanted to bring your attention to in which he talks about terrorism. He says, "If I define terrorist, and a terrorist is a person who employs terror or terrorism, especially as a political weapon, I define terrorist, thus, a terrorist is a person who employs terror or terrorism, especially as a political weapon. If you call me a terrorist, then the argument to call me a terrorist is ad hominem. You call me a terrorist. Thus, the argument to call me a terrorist is ad hominem."

So, rambling, difficult to understand, but obviously indicating some unhappiness with the state of affairs, vis-a-vis the police, the Constitution, even talks about grammar.

He does mention terrorism here. Let me tell you that we have talked to a law enforcement official who tells us at this point in time, there does not appear any nexus to terrorism in this case, just to emphasize that once again.

And also, Wolf, to let you know, we have gotten a statement from Jeff Carter of U.S. Marshal Service. They, of course, are in charge with protecting the judiciary. He says they won't be discussing what actions they're taking as a result of the shooting in Arizona, but they take this seriously. "We are taking appropriate actions," he says, "to ensure the security of the federal judiciary."

Wolf, back to you.

BLITZER: All right. Thank you. Very disturbing, very disturbing rambling e-mails, notes on the Internet. We'll continue to follow that up to get some close.

Jeanne, thanks very much.

Joining us now on the phone is C.J. Karaurgin, the press secretary for Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.

C.J., what are we -- what do we know right now? I understand there's some more disturbing more information.

C.J. KARAURGIN, REP. GIFFORDS' PRESS SECRETARY (via telephone): Well, Wolf, in a very sad and tragic day here in Arizona and in America. We lost a trusted friend and colleague today. Among the fatalities was the congresswoman's director of community outreach, Gabe Zimmerman. And we're all -- we're all very much in shock over this and the incident earlier today.

BLITZER: Were you there, C.J., at this event, at the Safeway?

KARAURGIN: No, I was not. But the law enforcement responded quickly from what I understand. We had an intern who responded quickly who helped with the shooting victims. He was on the scene, helping.

One of the truly sad things about this event today, Wolf, was that it was designed so the congresswoman could reach out to her constituents. We call it a "Congress on Your Corner" where people line up to have the opportunity to speak one-on-one with the congresswoman, share their views, say what they think about legislation.

And the congresswoman had said many times that she is -- being a representative is not just a job, but a job description. And the way to achieve, to do a good job was to take the pulse of the community and that's what she was doing today. So, we're all very much in shock.

BLITZER: Tell us something about Gabe Zimmerman. Obviously, a very, very sad situation. I assume you knew Gabe.

KARAURGIN: Yes. A lot of people knew Gabe and loved Gabe. Gabe was, as I said, a trusted member of the congresswoman's staff from the very beginning. He was a social worker and his whole purpose in working for a member of Congress was to help people. And that -- that's what motivated him.

He oversaw the thousands of cases that the congresswoman had with constituents, Medicare benefits, veterans benefits. Things like this. He was very good with people. He helped organize today's Congress on Your Corner.

He was instrumental in organizing many of the congresswoman's public events. The town halls we held on health care and other things.

He was engaged to be married from Tucson, a great guy, and a trusted member of the congresswoman's staff from the very beginning.

BLITZER: Our hearts go out and our deepest condolences to the family of Gabe Zimmerman and his fiancee as well. I take it, C.J., he was one of the six confirmed dead, is that right?

KARAURGIN: Yes, but information like this is going to have to come from local law enforcement as to the number.

BLITZER: All right. Well, the number, latest numbers we have is that six dead, 12 wounded, including the congresswoman.

Can you tell us, you know, what you've heard, how this unfolded? They were at the Safeway. They were going through this meet and greet with constituents. I'm sure the congresswoman was anxious to take questions from constituents. I'm sure the congresswoman was anxious to take questions from constituents. What have you heard? What exactly happened? A shooter simply shows up and then what?

KARAURGIN: That's my understanding, but I really can't speak to the details about that, Wolf. I was not there. I can tell you that we've held about 20 of these events over the past four years and the vast majority of them are without incident.

They are opportunities for the south eastern Arizonans to meet their congresswoman, for the congresswoman to meet the people she represents. Obviously, there's never been anything approaching this.

BLITZER: I know that every member of Congress gets angry letters from constituents. Sometimes, they get angry phone calls. Sometimes they even get threatening letters, threatening phone calls.

There was some anger directed her way in the past couple of years, in the last year alone, because of her vote on health care reform. Were there any indications that she needed to beef up her own personal security? KARAURGIN: Not to my knowledge, Wolf. The thing about Congressman Gifford is that she's always been a very open and accessible. She never shied away from opportunities to meet with her constituents even when the topic, you know, was a bit hot and heavy like the health care town halls.

She charged into those and has never been -- totally concerned about things like this because never had any indication things like this could happen.

BLITZER: That she normally, when she would go to an event like this, like the event today at the Safeway, would she normally go with some security? Local law enforcement, police, somebody from the U.S. Capitol Hill Police or does she simply go with her aides?

KARAURGIN: With aides, but local law enforcement can be notified if an event is taking place in a certain area just so they're aware of it. My understanding is that local law enforcement in this case responded very quickly and a lot of -- we owe a lot to the fact that the country sheriff's office and others, Tucson Police Department, all responded with amazing speed here.

BLITZER: I just want to remind our viewers, C.J. is the press secretary for Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. We got a pretty optimistic report from the surgeon at the hospital, the surgeon saying that he's about as optimistic as you can be in this kind of a situation. Are you getting more information on her condition right now, C.J.?

KARAURGIN: No, Wolf, not since then, but we're all very hopeful. We're all praying that the outcome will be favorable.

BLITZER: Well, we wish her a speedy, speedy recovery and all those others wounded and our deepest condolences obviously going out to those who have suffered. C.J., we'll stay in close touch with you. Thank you very much. If you get more information you can share with us, our viewers here in the United States and around the world, we'll hear from you as well. Appreciate it very much.

KARAURGIN: Thank you.

BLITZER: The White House is very closely watching this situation. We're going to check in live. We're going to go to the White House. Our own senior White House correspondent Ed Henry is standing by. We just heard a little while ago from the president. We'll have an update right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: The congresswoman shot, in gravely critical condition, but the doctors are optimistic she will survive. A federal judge has been killed. One of six individuals killed in a shooting spree in Arizona, 12 others injured. Many of them very, very seriously.

Ed Henry is our senior White House correspondent. He's joining us now. The president spoke on out this. Obviously, Ed, the president, the vice president, they are very concerned about what has happened.

ED HENRY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Wolf and just moments after all this started playing out and unfolding, White House officials sprung into action. Getting on top of what is now a massive federal investigation coordinated by the FBI at this president's direction.

He was notified we're told by officials about 1:20 p.m. Eastern Time by his Homeland Security adviser John Brennan, then shortly thereafter, you can see from this official photo. The president was in the White House situation room. It's very interesting to see the circle of advisers around him.

Tom Donalin there, the National Security adviser, but also, Bill Daley, the new chief of staff, he has not even officially taken over. He was here for a meeting so he immediately jumped in as well. You can see from this photo, trying to brief the president, get on top of the situation.

And then as you know, he came out to the state dining room, a very difficult situation. Try to calm the nation. He spoke personally about Gabby Giffords saying she's a congresswoman that he knows. He said that she's as tough as they come. She's fighting for her life and he urged all Americans to get behind her and all the victims.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: As many of you are aware, earlier today, a number of people were shot in Tucson, Arizona including several who were meeting at a supermarket with their congresswoman, Gabrielle Giffords.

We are still assembling all the facts, but we know that Representative Giffords was one of the victims. She is currently at a hospital in the area and she is battling for her life. We also know that at least five people lost their lives in this tragedy.

Among them were a federal judge, John Roll, who has served America's legal system for almost 40 years, and a young girl, who was barely 9 years old. I have spoken to Arizona governor, Jan Brewer, and offered the full resources of the federal government.

The suspect in currently in custody, but we don't yet know what provoked this unspeakable act. A comprehensive investigation is currently underway and at my direction, Director Bob Muller is in route to Arizona to help coordinate these efforts.

I've also spoken to the Democratic and Republican leaders in the House. Gabby Giffords was a friend of mine. She is not only an extraordinary public servant, but she is also somebody who is warm and caring. She is well liked by her colleagues and well liked by her constituents.

Her husband, Mark Kelly, is a Navy captain and one of America's valiant astronauts. It's not surprising that today, Gabby was doing what she always does, listening to the hopes and concerns of her neighbors. That is the essence of what our democracy is all about.

That is why this is more than a tragedy for those involved. It is a tragedy for Arizona and a tragedy for our entire country. What Americans do at times of tragedy is to come together and support each other. So, at this time, I ask all Americans to join me and Michelle in keeping all the victims and their families, including Gabby, in our thoughts and prayers.

Those who have been injured, we are rooting for them and I know Gabby is as tough as they come, and I am hopeful that she's going to pull through. Obviously, our hearts go out to the family members of those who have slain.

We are going to get to the bottom of this. We're going to get through this. But in the meantime, I think all of us need to make sure that we're offering our thoughts and prayers to those concerned. Thank you.

HENRY: Now, you heard the president mention had made a series of phone calls, one to Jan Brewer, the Republican governor of Arizona. They have been at odds barely this president and that governor, Republican governor on issues like immigration reform. Both sides obviously putting that aside to make sure the federal government works very closely with state and local officials.

But also one other phone call the president made, he mentioned Mark Kelly, the congresswoman's husband. We're told by officials here he also called Mark Kelly, did not reach him and left a message because Mr. Kelly was trying to get to his wife's bedside. But it gives you an idea about the personal and official reaction has been very swift here, Wolf.

BLITZER: Very swift indeed. And the president spending the weekend at the White House, I take it, right?

HENRY: He is. He's actually at dinner right now with the first lady, at Valerie Jarrett's house, a close friend, but also a top White House aide. That was already long planned and they were going to be going out obviously a lot on their minds this evening now, Wolf.

BLITZER: Ed, we'll stay in close touch with you. Thank you. Significant as that points out, the president personally asked the FBI director to make sure that he personally goes to Arizona to take charge of this investigation. Robert Muller is on the way to Arizona I assume right now.

Congresswoman Giffords was tweeting her followers shortly before she and so many others were shot today. We're going to read what she wrote and we'll speak live about that and more with Senator Bill Nelson of Florida when CNN's special coverage of the shooting spree in Tucson continues.

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BLITZER: We're getting a statement in from the United States Army right now. Our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr alerting us that the suspect in this case, Jared Lee Loughner, according to the U.S. Army, it has been confirmed the suspect was never in the Army.

He attempted to enlist in the Army, but was rejected for service in accordance for the Privacy Act, we will not discuss why he was rejected. Just that statement coming in from the U.S. Army right now.

Joining us on the phone is Sergio Avila, a reporter from our affiliate in Tucson, KGUN. Sergio, I take it you're outside her office, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords office and there's a suspicion package there? What's going on?

SERGIO AVILA, KGUN REPORTER (via telephone): Yes, that's exactly the case. You know, we were out here just covering the vigil that has showed up here. People just started arriving, bringing flowers and candles, and all of a sudden, Tucson Police Department came in, started taping up this parking lot and announced to everybody that they are going to need them to evacuate and have them move over to the opposite side of the street.

They told us to shut down the live truck and move out of the parking lot because they had found a suspicious package here at Gabrielle Giffords office. And just because of the nature of the day and nature where this package was, they were going to have to evacuate everyone.

Just to make sure they'd go in, check it out and make sure everybody's safe out there. Definitely something that was absolutely unexpected and like I said, people are just wondering at this point what's going on. That's exactly what it is. A suspicious package has been found at Gabrielle Gifford's office and now, everyone is being evacuated including us.

BLITZER: Did they say -- did they give any explanation about what was suspicious about the package? Was it smoke? Was it a smell, a dog alert, did they give any explanation why they described it as suspicious?

AVILA: No, just because they told us because of the nature of today and the nature of where this package is, is the only explanation we got and apparently that was enough for the Tucson Police Department to come on in and move everybody out of there.

BLITZER: So everybody's moving away, but I take it before the suspicious package was discovered, folks were just coming by and expressing their condolences, bringing flowers, making statements, was that was what was happening there?

AVILA: Yes, absolutely. You know, there were people that I spoke to, many of them, they wanted to do something. They didn't know where to go after hearing the congresswoman had been shot. So the only place they could think of going was coming here and if you see the pictures we've had out here, just rows and rows of flowers, candles. People out here holding hands, praying, singing songs.

At one point, we heard people singing "This Land Is Our Land." Just sort of patriotic songs. Just trying to get a better grasp of what's going on and show their support for not only Congresswoman Giffords, but all the victims in this terrible tragedy. BLITZER: Sergio, we'll stay in close touch with you and you'll update us on what's going on if they get the all clear pretty soon, which we hope will be the case, or if it's more serious, you'll let us know.

Sergio Avila with our affiliate KGUN in Tucson. We'll take another quick break. Our special coverage of this tragedy in Tucson will continue right after this.

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BLITZER: You're log at live pictures right now at Tucson, this is the university medical center in Tucson, where those who were shot in this shooting spree in Tucson earlier today are going through surgery or recovering right now including Congresswoman Gabriele Giffords who was severely injured and she underwent several hours of surgery. Her doctors are optimistic she will recover.

We're watching all of this very closely, six individuals dead, 12 wounded as of now. We're standing by for a news conference from law enforcement in Tucson that's supposed to begin right at the top of the hour. You're looking at live pictures there. We'll have live coverage that's coming up.

But joining us on the phone is Senator Bill Nelson, Democrat of Florida. Senator Nelson, I know you're as shock as everyone else in this kind of situation, it has such a chilling effect on everyone. But I assume you knew and you know Congresswoman Giffords?

SENATOR BILL NELSON (via telephone): The congressional family is shocked and the NASA family is shocked. You recall that Gabby is the chairman of the Space Subcommittee in the House of Representatives and had helped so much in the passage of the NASA bill, which was one of the few bills to get through, Wolf, in this past session last fall.

And of course her husband, who I think is by her side now, he flew from Houston earlier, but her brother-in-law, her husband's twin brother is up on the space station right now. And of course, her husband Mark is the commander of the space shuttle mission that is to launch in April. So there's a good bit of concern in the NASA family as well.

BLITZER: And you speak for that community because you yourself are a former astronaut and so you're fully appreciative. Captain Mark Kelly, who's her husband, they've been married three or four or five years. He was getting ready for an early April launch of the "Endeavor" of the space shuttle. But now you've got information that he's back in Tucson had her side?

NELSON: Yes. Hopefully and prayerfully, with her recovery, he will still command that mission. If she starts to recover, he's going to be able to do that, but this has just added to the uncertainty of everything.

BLITZER: Tell us something about Gabriel Giffords, because she's a beloved member of the House of Representatives. But you know her, I mean, she's recovering right now, we hope she makes a full recovery, but obviously this is going to be difficult.

NELSON: Well, the president spoke very pointedly about Gabriel is somebody that is a very vigorous active member of Congress. If she disagrees with you, she'll get right in your face.

And of course that's so endearing to her constituents because she was such a fighter, is such a fighter for her constituents. And it's a sad commentary, Wolf, that publish service when you're serving your constituents, and let's hope that this is only a lone attempted assassination and doesn't have a political motive.

Because if it does, it casts a pall over a representative democracy has got to be able to have the represented be able to talk to the representative.

BLITZER: It does indeed, Senator, thanks so much for sharing some thoughts with us and thanks for letting us know that her husband, Captain Mark Kelly is now with her in Tucson at the university medical center where she is recovering from this gunshot wound.

The bullet went through her head, through her brain, but almost miraculously, she's recovering we're told by the surgeons right now. Thank you very much, Senator Nelson. We're standing by for a news conference from law enforcement authorities in Tucson. That's supposed to begin right at the top of the hour. We'll have live coverage right after this.

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