"Arizona Rep. Giffords Shot In Rampage"

GUY RAZ, host:

And finally tonight, an update on those shootings in Arizona that left U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords in critical condition at a Tucson hospital. She was shot in the head, but a surgeon at the hospital where she was taken this afternoon expressed optimism that she would recover.

Others, however, died in that shooting, including a federal judge, an aide to the congresswoman and a 9-year-old child.

Giffords was among at least 10 people who were wounded in a shooting that occurred while the congresswoman was holding one of her regular meetings with constituents in a Safeway parking lot in Tucson. Police say that the shooter has been taken into custody and that he's been identified as 22-year-old Jared Loughner.

The 40-year-old Giffords was reelected to her third term last November. Before coming to Washington, she was a member of the Arizona House and Senate. She is married to astronaut Mark Kelly, who piloted the Space Shuttles Endeavor and Discovery. President Obama called the shootings not only a tragedy for Arizona but also for the United States.

And for Saturday, that's ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Guy Raz. Please keep those folks in Arizona in your thoughts this evening. We're back on the radio tomorrow. Until then, thanks for listening and have a great night.