Giffords feared being shot at public events, husband says
January 19, 2011 7:39 a.m. EST
Giffords' husband talks about wife's recovery
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Surveillance video shows suspect Jared Loughner shooting lawmaker, report says
- "There have been threats against her and other members of Congress," her husband says
- Rep. Gabrielle Giffords will resume public service "stronger than ever," husband says
Tucson, Arizona (CNN) -- Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was worried about her safety long before she was critically wounded in a mass shooting that killed six people in Arizona, her husband said in a interview.
"We've discussed it a number of times," Mark Kelly told CNN affiliate KVOA-TV in Tucson. "She felt that that was a possibility, pretty much exactly what had happened. ... There have been threats against her and other members of Congress."
Giffords was hosting a constituents' meeting outside a supermarket in Tucson when a gunman opened fire January 8. In addition to the six deaths, including a 9-year-old girl, 13 others were injured.
Kelly told the affiliate that he and his wife were concerned over heated and divisive political debates but her passion for public service was a priority despite the fears.
"She was doing what she loved, she was representing people of southern Arizona," Kelly said. "She felt it was very important for them to have the opportunity to walk up to her and tell her what they think."
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Kelly said the lawmaker will resume her public service "stronger than ever" as soon as she's well enough. He predicted she will return to the scene of the shooting.
"She loves southern Arizona more than anything," he told CNN affiliate KGUN-TV in Tucson. "She's here every week, doing stuff like 'Congress on your Corner' and I'm sure the first thing she's gonna do, when she's ready, is a 'Congress on your Corner' at that Safeway," where the shooting occurred.
The outpouring of support has been tremendous, Kelly said, including an elementary school student who sent his $2.85 in lunch money to Giffords with a card.
"I sealed it back up, and we're gonna give it back to him," Kelly said. "It almost made me cry just standing there in the room, just to see the kid put his lunch money in the envelope for her."'
Surveillance video shows suspect Jared Loughner walking up to Giffords and firing at her face from about 2 or 3 feet away, The Washington Post reported Tuesday, citing two sources who have seen surveillance videos.
The bullet hits her head just above her left eye and exits from the back of her skull, the sources said.
Giffords remains in serious condition at University Medical Center in Tucson. A second, unnamed victim is listed in good condition.
The video shows that after shooting the lawmaker, the suspect turns the gun at others attending the event.
One of the victims, U.S. District Judge John Roll, was killed while covering Giffords' district director Ron Barber, according to the sources.
"Judge Roll starts to push Barber down on the ground and lay on top of Barber, and they start to scamper under the table, but Roll is on top," one source said, according to the newspaper.
The director was wounded; Roll was killed.
A law enforcement official said federal and local authorities have conducted more than 300 interviews as part of the investigation.
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