Horrifying news today: Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-AZ, has been shot point blank in the head at a public event today in Tucson, AZ. Multiple other people were shot as well, including several of her aides. (The number of other victims is disputed depending on which source you read.)

Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head at close range by a gunman Saturday morning outside a grocery store in Tucson while holding a public event, Fox News has confirmed.

Eight others were shot, including three of the Arizona Democrat’s aides, at Giffords’ “Your Corner” event held at a Safeway grocery story. A suspect is in custody.

Giffords was taken to a hospital but the condition of those shot was not immediately known, a senior congressional aide told Fox News.

The three staffers who were shot worked out of Giffords’ Arizona office.

Giffords has held multiple “Your Corner” events over the past four years, the aide told Fox News, adding that she had held three previous events that this venue before.

Giffords was re-elected to her third term as representative of Arizona’s 8th Congressional District. She is married to astronaut Mark Kelly.

Rep. Giffords has died of her injuries, along with six others, according to NPR. The identity of the gunman is still unknown. Obviously, being that this has happened in Arizona, the question of whether a drug cartel could be behind this must be raised.

I’ll update as more information comes out. Please keep her family in your thoughts and prayers.

UPDATE: Fox News is reporting that the gunman is currently in custody and also was shot. Hopefully, we find out the motive behind the heinous shooting. Fox is also reporting that a child is among the dead.

UPDATE: Conflicting reports are coming out now. Fox News and NPR are reporting that Giffords has died. Reuters and MSNBC are reporting that Giffords is still alive but in critical condition. The word on Twitter is that her office is reporting that she is still alive and in surgery. Let’s hope this is true and that she pulls through.

UPDATE: Seems to be confirmed that Giffords is still alive and is currently in surgery. Praise God.

UPDATE: Unsurprisingly, the left is blaming Sarah Palin for this atrocity. Disgusting. An event like this SHOULD NOT BE POLITICIZED.

UPDATE: Death toll is currently reported as being at five, including one of Giffords’ aides.

UPDATE: According to FNC, the total victim count is 19 shot, 5 dead. US District Court Judge John M. Roll is among the injured.

UPDATE: State Sen. Lopez is reporting on FNC that the bullet went in through her temple and that she is currently responding to commands; members of her staff in worse shape than she is in. Briefing from UMC coming soon. Sen. Lopez also blaming the violence on “tea party people”. Sigh.

UPDATE: FNC reporting that District Judge John Roll was killed in the shooting. Awful.

UPDATE: The AP is identifying the shooter as 22-year-old Jared Laughner.

UPDATE: Dr. Peter Rhee reports that the neurosurgeons are finished working on Gabrielle Giffords and that they are optimistic that she will recover, although she is still in critical condition. They have 10 patients, 5 in critical condition and 5 currently in the OR. The one patient who died was a nine-year-old girl.

UPDATE: Laughner’s YouTube page is allegedly here. FNC reporting that his Myspace page has been pulled, but that his last entry was “Goodbye Friends”. Screencap of his Myspace is here.

UPDATE: Jan Brewer has ordered all flags to be flown at half staff. Michelle has a round-up of some of the vile liberal reaction to this tragedy.