PHOENIX (AP) — Former U.S. Rep.Gabby Giffordsreturned to the House floor Thursday on the 15th anniversary of theassassination attemptthat cut short her promising political career and shocked a nation that has only seen political violence worsen in the years since.
Giffords held hands with her husband, Sen.Mark Kelly, as House Minority LeaderHakeem Jeffrieslauded her congressional service and heradvocacyfor tougher gun control measures. She received a standing ovation from a few dozen lawmakers in the chamber, most of them fellow Democrats.
"House Democrats stand with Gabby and with all Americans who say 'enough is enough,'" said Jeffries, who pledged that Democrats would prioritize gun control legislation if they win the House majority in November's midterm elections.
Giffords was shot in the head on Jan. 8, 2011, while meeting with constituents at a grocery store in Tucson, Arizona. Six were killed and 12 injured in addition to Giffords, who was left with limited motion on one side and aphasia, a verbal disability.
No coherent motive has been established for the shooter, Jared Loughner, who had schizophrenia and shared a variety of disjointed, nonsensical conspiracies in his online posts. He was sentenced to life in prison after being forcibly medicated to make him competent to stand trial.
The targeting of a political event foreshadowed the rising tide of violence that has shadowed American democracy. There was theU.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021,two attemptson Donald Trump's life, and the killinglast Juneof a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband.
More recently, conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated whiletalking to college students.
Giffords left Congressafter the shootingto focus on her recovery, cutting short a political career that many in Arizona believe would have included a run for governor or U.S. Senate.
She went on to create, along with Kelly, a political group—now known as GIFFORDS—that lobbies for tougher gun laws and works to elect state and federal lawmakers who will support them.
Kellywas elected to the Senate in 2020 and was a finalist to be Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate in the 2024 presidential election.