Democratic congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords shot and killed wounded

UPDATE: According to MSNBC: A hospital spokesperson just said that she is alive, in surgery, and in critical condition. Nine others are also in critical or serious condition.

UPDATE 2: [by Liss] Giffords' surgeon says that she has come through surgery, and that he is optimistic for her recovery. !!!

UPDATE 3: [by Liss] Giffords is reportedly conscious and responsive, following directions, which is excellent news (though she is by no means out of the woods yet). The suspect in the shooting is in police custody and has been identified as 22-year-old Jared Lee Loughner, reportedly a veteran of the Afghanistan War. The gun, a Glock 9mm, has been recovered from the scene. Five or six people are dead, including one nine-year-old child. Ten to twelve more are in critical condition.

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Six other people who were shot were also killed. Earlier reports say nine people had also been injured--no word on the conditions of the surviving three people. Via NPR:

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and six others died after a gunman opened fire at a public event on Saturday, the Pima County, Ariz., sheriff's office confirms. The 40-year-old Democrat was outside a Tucson grocery store when a gunman ran up and began firing indiscriminately. The suspect was taken into police custody.

The Tucson Citizen apparently reported that she was "shot point blank in the head". Their site has been down since that was reported. There is no word yet about the gunman's motives.

Perhaps worth noting, is that Sarah Palin put Rep. Giffords on her infamous "target map" last September:

In a website launched on Thursday, the six-month anniversary of the health care law, Palin puts a bull's-eye on 20 House districts under a headline that reads, "We've diagnosed the problem…Help us prescribe the solution."

This rhetoric may or may not be related, directly or not, to the events of today. It's certainly interesting, though.

HuffPo is continually updating the story as it happens.