"Rep. Giffords' Aide Among The Dead In Tucson"

STEVE INSKEEP, Host:

Now one of the victims of the weekend's shooting was Gabriel Zimmerman, legislative aide to Congresswoman Giffords, serving as her outreach director. Zimmerman was known as a conciliator with a deft touch when it came to working with difficult or angry people. Sommer Mathis was his high school friend.

SOMMER MATHIS: I was not at all surprised to learn that he had devoted his life to social work and public service and helping people. That's just exactly the kind of person that he was.

INSKEEP: Gabriel Zimmerman, who was 30 years old, was recently engaged to be married and was killed on Saturday.

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INSKEEP: This is NPR News.