Arizona Congresswoman Shot dead at point-blank range moments ago~!

[Paul Rigby]

Michael Tomasky's Grauniad blog: Should we see the video?

The Arizona shootings were caught on store surveillance video. Should it be shown?

From today's NYT, I see that store surveillance video exists of the Arizona shootings:

The chief investigator for the sheriff's department here has for the first time publicly described the brief and gory video clip from a store security camera that shows a gunman not only shooting Representative Gabrielle Giffords just above the eyebrow at a range of three feet, but then using his 9-millimeter pistol to gun down others near her at a similarly close range ...

... The crucial video showing the shooting of Ms. Giffords, Judge Roll and Mr. Barber lasts only about five seconds before the gunman steps out of the frame.

At the start of the clip, it shows the "suspect coming from just outside of the frame of the video toward the parking lot," Mr. Kastigar said. "He goes around a table set up for part of that gathering and walks up to Gabby and shoots her directly in the forehead." It was not clear from this video, he said, if Ms. Giffords realized what was happening.

The gunman "then turns to his left and indiscriminately shoots at people sitting in chairs along the wall," he said. The video does not show those people being shot, he said. But quickly the gunman is back in the video, which shows him turning to his right and shooting Mr. Barber, who had been with Judge Roll "standing side by side with the table to their backs."

Should it be shown publicly? It's morbid, yes. There are the families to think about. Obviously, their consent would have to be secured. But maybe people should see what this kind of thing actually looks like in real life. Might have a salutary impact.

Poll: Should the Arizona shooting video be shown?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/...o-question