A Word on the Tucson Tragedy by Guns.com

Guns.com would like to express its condolences to the victims and families of lasts weeks shootings in Tucson, Arizona and our sympathy for the six slain, U.S. District Judge John Roll, 63, Dorthy Murray, 76, Dorwin Stoddard, 76, Christina Greene, 9, Phyllis Scheck, 79, Gabe Zimmerman, 30 and Representative Gabrielle Giffords, who we are thankful to hear is expected to survive.

Last Saturday’s assassination attempt continues to be fastidiously reported in the mainstream media as the story unfolds.  During a political event at a Pima County Safeway grocery store, shooter Jared Lee Loughner approached event coordinators and asked if he could speak to Representative Giffords.  Aids to the representative informed the 22-year old that he would be allowed to converse with the politician but he would have to wait in line.  Loughner then briefly left the venue, returned and forced his way over a table that separated the crowd from Giffords.  Producing a Glock 19 that held a high-capacity magazine, he shot Representative Giffords in the head at point range.  He then proceeded to indiscriminately fire all 32 rounds from the handgun into the crowd.

Two bystanders subdued Loughner as he attempted to reload the weapon.  In all, six innocent human beings lost their lives including a nine-year old girl who was being treated to the political event after winning a classroom election at school.

We at Guns.com anticipate a flood of copy emanating from Arizona in the months ahead as the fallout from this disaster begins to settle and conclusions can be drawn.  In our capacity as journalists, we promise to provide you with up-to-date coverage and commentary on all gun news.  At this point, Guns.com feels it’s more appropriate to show reverence to the lives lost in this sickening event than try to make sense of a senseless act (which ultimately all violence is).

We do hope that in the wake of this tragedy, we are all reminded of the sanctity of human life and try to be more civil to one another rather than bemoan the absence of such civility.  We’d like to invite you to share your comments and thoughts below.