Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Bob Mueller is in route to the scene of the shootings in Arizona where Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D) and 17 others were injured, President Barack Obama said at a news conference on Saturday afternoon.
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer said at a press conference that Obama told her that the FBI would be in charge of the investigation. But other law enforcement sources indicated that the Pima County Sheriff’s Department is still leading the investigation with assistance from federal officials.
The FBI, the Pima County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Capitol Police are investigating, FBI Spokesman Paul E. Bresson told TPM in an e-mail.
Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-AZ) was shot in the head at point blank range, and federal judge John Roll and others were killed in the shooting.
The shooter has been identified as Jared Loughner, who has left a trail on the Internet including YouTube videos and a MySpace profile.
The FBI, like the U.S. Marshals Service which handles judicial security, falls under the purview of the Justice Department. A spokesman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) — another agency that falls under DOJ’s overview — said that the agency is assisting with the investigation. A spokesman for Attorney General Eric Holder did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Ryan J. Reilly
Ryan J. Reilly is a D.C.-based reporter for TPM. Prior to joining TPM, he worked for a news website covering the Justice Department and was a researcher for Bloomberg News. His email address is ryan(at)talkingpointsmemo.com.
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