GUY RAZ, host:
Back to our top story this hour. We've been covering the shooting today of Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords while she was meeting with constituents in a Tucson parking lot. As a result of today's shootings, security has been increased at Congresswoman Giffords' home and offices and also at the offices of other lawmakers in the Arizona delegation.
Joining me now is NPR's congressional reporter Audie Cornish.
Audie, what are you hearing about the safety of other lawmakers from Capitol Police?
AUDIE CORNISH: Well, right now, the Capitol Police are saying that they're actively monitoring the event. They obviously don't have jurisdiction. The local sheriff's office in Arizona is dealing with that. And the Capitol Police say that from what they know that there's no indication that this was part of any sort of larger threat against congressional leadership. They're also saying that they haven't - for now - that they don't see it as being part of any kind of act of terrorism but obviously an investigation is ongoing.
They're asking for lawmakers to reach out to them if they need additional security, which as you heard from Representative Raul Grijalva in Arizona, he is doing. He's called for greater security...
RAZ: Right.
CORNISH: ...for his staff. He's also reported that a community center in his district has had some windows destroyed. And I think lawmakers are very sensitive right now to any kind of perceived acts of violence, obviously.
At this point, if you were at the Capitol today, obviously, it's the weekend and lawmakers have gone home, like Congresswoman Giffords.
RAZ: Right.
CORNISH: But there were some staffers in the building. I've seen reports that there are a dozen yellow flowers sitting outside of her office door. We're also getting statements pouring in from leadership of both parties, many of them calling this a senseless act of violence and a few calling it political violence. And I think people are being very careful about using that kind of terminology.
RAZ: We just don't know yet.
CORNISH: There's no word about the motivation of the suspect.
RAZ: Audie, talk a little bit about Gabrielle Giffords, widely respected on both sides of the aisle, a Democrat.
CORNISH: Yeah. She's 40 years old. She was just reelected to her third term this past fall. She is a classic Blue Dog Democrat, I mean, just a - in a centrist right down the middle. She's somebody who is pro-choice but also somebody who - a good example is the immigration debate. You know, her district shares 100 miles of border with Mexico.
RAZ: With Mexico, yeah.
CORNISH: And this has obviously been a very big and heated time for the immigration debate in Arizona. To the left of her, you had lawmakers who were calling up boycott for the state over the state laws targeting illegal immigrants. And to the right of her, you had people supporting that law. And she said this goes too far but Arizona is being a leader in trying to do something.
She was also pro-choice. And she was also someone who was a supporter for gun rights.
RAZ: And on that point, Audie, I have a clip of tape, a conversation she had with our colleague Robert Siegel last May from ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, talking about that issue. Let's play that.
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Representative GABRIELLE GIFFORDS (Democrat, Arizona): In my district and in my state, we have a very strong gun culture. I own a gun, members of my family own guns, and it's just not likely to happen. I'm not disagreeing that assault weapons are incredibly problematic, specifically for the law enforcement community and specific cities across the country. But the reality is that I am urging the federal government to put national troops on the border.
CORNISH: This is a perfect example of the kind of stance she might have. This is a lawmaker who, her district is - went by 52 percent to John McCain in 2008, and she won it by 1 percent in 2010. And she was one of those lawmakers who many thought - Blue Dogs who would not make it through this election where Democrats like her had a very difficult time.
RAZ: Well, obviously, we're all praying for her to pull through this. Audie Cornish, that's NPR's congressional reporter Audie Cornish here with me in the studio.
Audie, thank you so much.
CORNISH: Thank you.
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RAZ: You're listening to ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News.