Gabby Giffords & Mark Kelly: If Loughner received treatment, this probably never would have happened
Truer words could not be spoken.
Above is a photo of Congressman Giffords from her recent interview. She looks as lovely as ever. What a remarkable recovery she has had and indications are that she will continue to improve.
Everyone knows her story, but the key part of this story which consistently goes under reported is just how preventable the shooting was.
In short the college administration, members of the faculty, as the campus police knew Loughner was schizophrenic, or at least had serious mental issues severely impacting his ability to perceive reality correctly. The local sheriff's department also knew it. Loughner's mother is a supervisor in the county parks department and there have been reports that she used her contacts in county government to help keep Loughner out of serious trouble.
The State of Arizona has a toll free line that can be issued to have someone forcibly evaluated so that they are not a danger to themselves and others. The campus police, the sheriff's department, parents, teachers etc could have called that number as there is no way (judging by police reports) that Loughner could have passed such an exam. One single examination saying he was unfit and properly reported would have prevented Loughner from being able to buy any kind of gun, but all the laws in the world do no good when the people on the ground do not do their duty. That may seem like a harsh indictment, but the trial will likely reveal the numerous contacts Loughner had with police agencies while he was having a psychiatric episode.
For the schizophrenic the senses do not perceive reality correctly and the cognitive skill center to the brain is compromised. While you are I or even a teenager could examine a modestly complex problem and easily come up with the same solution, the schizophrenic would come up with a solution that is beyond irrational and believe it as surely as 2+2=4. This is not easy for someone who has no experience in dealing with the mentally ill to grasp, but in short it is likely that Loughner did what he did because in his own very ill mind reason demanded it.
ABC:
The man arrested at the shooting, Jared Loughner has pleaded not guilty to 49 charges stemming from the Jan. 8 shooting. He's being forcibly medicated with psychotropic drugs at a Missouri prison in an effort to make him mentally competent to stand trial.
In Monday's broadcast, Giffords and Kelly both expressed their concern that Loughner did not get the help he needed.
"If he had received some treatment, this probably never would have happened," Kelly said.