Two years have passed since the mass shooting in Tucson that left six people dead and 13 others wounded.
To mark the anniversary of Jan. 8, 2011, a series of events is scheduled in the Tucson area.
Stephen Brigham, president of a memorial fund set up after the shooting two years ago, says he senses that the community is slowly healing.
“I see that change taking place in Tucson, and I think we’re having a different conversation, too, about what Tucson is and how we can help each other,” Brigham says.
To mark the anniversary, the January 8th Memorial Fund is asking Tucsonans -- individuals and organizations -- at exactly 10:10 a.m. Tuesday, to go outside and ring bells to commemorate the second anniversary of the shooting.
“We’re hoping that not only individuals but also every church, every school," Brigham says. "We’re just hoping that everybody will step outside at 10:10 to bring us all together with a bell ringing. It’s a simple gesture but one that I think will remind people that we’re here together and we’ll work together to build upon our strength.”
Last month, the city of Tucson announced it had adopted a proclamation to make Jan. 8 a remembrance day. The proclamation encouraged the citizens of Tucson to use their daily lives to honor the people lost and wounded two years ago.
Pima County is expected to adopt a similar proclamation. During last month’s news briefing, C.J. Karamargin, who at the time of the shooting worked for Giffords, said the people of Tucson must never forget what happened in that supermarket parking lot…
“Remembering can be hard," said Karamargin, who now is vice chancellor for communications at Pima Community College. "Thinking back to the event is painful but it is necessary. I would suggest that we have a moral obligation to remember. We have a moral obligation not to be indifferent.”
Staff members who treated the victims after the shooting at the University of Arizona Medical Center will hold their own anniversary ceremony Tuesday.
The gunman in the Tucson shooting, Jared Loughner, pleaded guilty in November to 19 federal charges in the crime. He’s serving seven consecutive life terms and continues receiving mental health treatment at a prison facility in Missouri.
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