The attempted assassination of Representative Gabrielle Giffords is more important than the links I had planned to post in this weekend’s open thread. At least six people were killed and a dozen more wounded by a 22-year-old gunman who is now in custody. He fired many shots at close range while Giffords was holding a “Congress on your corner” event at a Tucson grocery store. Giffords made it through surgery and responded to some of the doctors’ commands. The dead include a nine-year-old girl, Congressional staffer Gabe Zimmerman, and U.S. District Court Judge John Roll. Law enforcement are searching for a second suspect who was not a shooter.

[Pima County Sheriff Clarence] Dupnik declined to provide more information on the second individual who he would only describe as “white” and “in his 50s.” Authorities have photographs of the person of interest and are “actively pursuing him,” the sheriff said.

The congresswoman was the clear focus of the gunman’s assault, Dupnik said.

“He ran through the crowd and when he got to [Giffords] he just started shooting,” the sheriff said.

“The anger, the hatred, the bigotry that goes on in this country is getting to be outrageous. And unfortunately Arizona I think is the capital. We are the Mecca for prejudice for prejudice and bigotry,” he said.

Dupnik said authorities are also investigating a suspicious package at one of Giffords’ field offices in Tucson.

Many more links on today’s attack are here. House Republican leaders are postponing all legislation scheduled for the coming week.

I’m sure the Bleeding Heartland community joins me in sending out healing thoughts or prayers for the bereaved and injured.

This is an open thread.

UPDATE: After the jump I’ve posted the names of all those killed in Saturday’s attack.

SECOND UPDATE: Psychiatrist E. Fuller Torrey’s take on the suspect, Jared Lee Loughner, is worth reading. Some excerpts are after the jump.