Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik says that law enforcement has a reason to believe another person is involved in the shootings of Judge John Roll, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and others today.
“We’re not convinced that he acted alone,” he said at a news conference at Westward Look resort.
He confirmed that there were 19 people injured and that six people are dead.
He also refused to identify any suspects, although the name of shooter Jared Lee Loughner has been widely reported.
He said that two “brave individuals” tackled the shooter, and that Roll was in the wrong place at the wrong time, as he’d simply shown up to say hello to his friend Giffords.
Update: He said a semi-automatic weapon was used and that all 19 victims were shot.
He also angrily denounced the vitriolic political climate of today—especially in Arizona.
“We have become the Mecca for prejudice and bigotry,” he said.
This article appears in Jan 6-12, 2011.
Sheriff should shut up about the motives of the shooter. From all we know, the shooter is a liberal who counts Mein Kamp and the Communist Manifesto as some of his favorite books. Sounds like a liberal, which is Not what the Sheriff was trying to communicate.
Yeah he is the Sheriff what does he know about law enforcement!
letscheck, mein kampf was written by a facist, which lies at he opposite end of the political spectrum from the communist manifesto…so it sounds like you yourself don’t know much about political theory, nor do you know about the motives of the shooter who was probably simply unhinged, and neither a typical conservative nor liberal. dupnik’s statement about the hateful political climate–generally speaking–is completely valid. you don’t need to know anything about political theory to see that.
Writer should shut up and read what Sheriff said first.
Sheriff was commenting on Arizona and not the shooter’s motives.
How sad that loyal officers of Pima County Sheriff’s Department have to serve under such a wierd and disfunctional Sheriff. He fumes about vitriol, without the sense to see that he himself is the the only one spreading it today. What a disgrace his press conference was today.
Dupnik’s remarks at the 6 pm press conference were vague regarding what actually took place. It was too early in the investigation for him to comment on details. But his use of the incident to push his own political agenda was indeed disgraceful. He attacked many of the citizens he has sworn to protect, and called Arizona “a Mecca for prejudice and bigotry.” His projection of bigotry onto others is telling, because he was the only public servant today who stooped to calumny. As for vitriol, he and his own political party don’t seem hesitant to dispense it. This man is Sheriff, but in an emotionally volatile situation he threw fat into the fire. Captain Nanos and Richard Carmona displayed the professionalism the situation required, and prevented Dupnik from expanding his odious rant against his own constituents. Perhaps it’s time for Sheriff Dupnik to think about retirement. I don’t believe I can vote for him again.