US President Barack Obama speaks at memorial for Arizona shooting victims

January 13, 2011

United States President Barack Obama spoke at a memorial in Tucson, Arizona Wednesday night, in the wake of last Saturday's mass shooting. Earlier in the day, Obama visited five people injured in the attack, including Gabrielle Giffords, a Congresswoman from Arizona.

Obama spoke to almost 14,000 people in the University of Arizona's, as well as 13,000 others outside. During a 33-minute-long speech, he attempted to begin the "healing process," urging the nation "to pause for a moment and make sure that we are talking with each other in a way that heals, not a way that wounds." He recognized the victims of the incident as well as those who helped the wounded immediately after the shooting.

, aged 22, is accused of opening fire on a "" event on January 8, killing six people and injuring thirteen others. The incident has sparked a fiery political debate on whether intense political campaigns could incite violence.

During his speech, Obama said of Giffords' condition, "Gabby opened her eyes so I can tell you know she knows we are here, she knows that we love her and she knows that we are rooting for her through what will undoubtedly be a difficult journey." Peter Rhee, a trauma surgeon at, said Giffords is making progress and is able to move more.