Loughner's parents 'devastated,' 'hurting'
Mother 'almost passed out right there' while father sat in the road and cried, neighbor who broke the news says
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PHOENIX, Ariz. — The parents of Jared Loughner, the 22-year-old suspect in the fatal shooting of six people and attempted assassination of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, are "devastated" and "hurting real bad," a neighbor told The Wall Street Journal.
The paper reported that the neighbor, Wayne Smith, broke the news to Randy and Amy Loughner that their son was a suspect in the shootings Saturday.
"She almost passed out right there," Smith told the Journal. "He sat in the road with the tape up and cried."
"They're hurting real bad. They are devastated," he added.
Smith, 70, who was asked by Randy Loughner to bring in their mail Monday, told the Journal that Amy Loughner was having a "nervous breakdown."
The Journal reported that Smith did not think Randy Loughner had worked since his son was born, but raised the child while Amy Loughner had a steady job.
Smith told the paper that he did not know the couple's last name until Saturday, despite having lived across the street since 1972.
Despite this, he described himself as probably one of closest neighbors to Randy Loughner.
Smith told the Journal that on Saturday the Loughners had returned home from shopping in their white Chevy truck to find sheriffs' cars at the house and deputies stringing crime scene tape around the area.
Smith said he had seen the news on television and went across to tell them Jared Loughner was the suspect.
Father to release statement?
On Monday, Smith told reporters that Randy Loughner had written a statement, but was unsure whether or not to release it. This would be the family's first public comment on the situation.
The Journal reported that Smith said Loughner was reluctant to face the public.
The paper, citing people familiar with the case, said the parents had told investigators that they had not realized the full extent of their son's mental health problems.
Jared Loughner, head shaved and with a cut on his right temple, appeared in court Monday.
He seemed impassive and at one point stood at a lectern in his beige prison jumpsuit. A U.S. marshal stood guard nearby.
The judge asked if he understood that he could get life in prison or the death penalty for killing federal Judge John Roll, one of six who died in the shooting rampage at Giffords' outdoor meeting with constituents Saturday in Tucson.
"Yes," he said. His newly appointed lawyer, Judy Clarke, stood beside him as the judge ordered Loughner held without bail. The next court hearing was set for Jan. 24.
The six killed were Roll, 63, chief judge of the U.S. District Court for Arizona; 9-year-old Christina Taylor Green, who was born on Sept. 11, 2001; Giffords' aide Gabe Zimmerman, 30; Dorothy Morris, 76; Dorwin Stoddard, 76; and Phyllis Scheck, 79.
Clarke has helped defend several high-profile clients including Unabomber Ted Kaczynski, alleged 9/11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui and Susan Smith, a South Carolina woman who drowned her two sons in 1994.
Loughner is charged with one count of attempted assassination of a member of Congress, two counts of killing an employee of the federal government and two counts of attempting to kill a federal employee.
Throngs of reporters and television news crews lined up outside the federal courthouse, where the hearing was moved from Tucson. The entire federal bench there recused itself because Roll was the chief judge.
The Journal also reported that Loughner had bought his ammunition at a Walmart store just hours before the shooting.
Citing people familiar with the case, the paper said he was turned away from one Walmart but was sold the bullets at another Walmart nearby.
However, Walmart later told the Journal that that Loughner was not turned away from the first store, but left before completing the purchase.
Memorial service Wednesday
President Barack Obama will travel to Arizona Wednesday to attend a memorial service for victims killed in last Saturday's attack, a U.S. official said Monday evening.
Giffords, a 40-year-old Democrat who was shot in the head, remained in critical condition but was able to follow simple commands, such as holding up two fingers when asked.
Doctors at University Medical Center in Tucson said they were cautiously optimistic about her chances for recovery.
Story: Giffords 'holding her own,' neurosurgeon says
Dr. G. Michael Lemole, Jr., chief of neurosurgery at University Medical Center, told NBC's TODAY show on Monday that her condition has remained the same in the past two days.
"She's doing the same things she was yesterday," he said. "And that's the most we can hope for at this time."
Sheriff Clarence Dupnik of Pima County, where the shootings occurred, said Loughner was not cooperating. He told ABC News the suspect had said "not a word" to investigators.
Dupnik said authorities were all but certain Loughner acted alone, saying "he's a typical troubled individual who's a loner."
Investigators have been going through Loughner's computer and e-mails to learn more about a possible motive.
They said they had found an envelope at Loughner's residence with the handwritten phrases "I planned ahead" and "My assassination," along with the name "Giffords" and what appeared to be Loughner's signature.
Federal officials told NBC News they also found a note addressed to Giffords — but apparently never sent — in which Loughner expresses his strong dislike for her.
Those familiar with the letter described it as threatening but said it does not state that he intended to kill her. It is not clear when the letter was written.
The FBI's affidavit supporting federal charges indicates there is surveillance camera video of the shooting. "Your affiant reviewed a digital surveillance video depicting the events at the Safeway..." the affidavit says in part.
Giffords: Tone down rhetoric
Meanwhile, it has emerged that the day before she was wounded, Giffords sent an e-mail to a friend in Kentucky discussing how to "tone our rhetoric and partisanship down."
In the message, obtained by The Associated Press, the Democratic congresswoman congratulated Republican Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson on his new position as director of Harvard University's Institute of Politics.
She wrote him: "After you get settled, I would love to talk about what we can do to promote centrism and moderation. I am one of only 12 Dems left in a GOP district (the only woman) and think that we need to figure out how to tone our rhetoric and partisanship down."
Space station commander Scott Kelly, whose identical twin brother Mark Kelly is married to Giffords and is also an astronaut, led NASA in a moment of silence Monday as part of the national observance for all the victims of Saturday's shooting.
Flight controllers in Houston fell silent as Scott Kelly spoke via radio from space. "We have a unique vantage point here aboard the International Space Station," he said. "As I look out the window, I see a very beautiful planet that seems very inviting and peaceful. Unfortunately, it is not."
"These days, we are constantly reminded of the unspeakable acts of violence and damage we can inflict upon one another, not just with our actions, but also with our irresponsible words," he said. "We're better than this. We must do better."
Meanwhile, the leader of Westboro Baptist Church, an anti-gay Kansas-based church best known for picketing the funerals of slain U.S. soldiers and gay-pride gatherings, said its members will picket the funerals of the 9-year-old girl and five others killed in Saturday's attack.
In a video, Fred Phelps says God sent the shooter to avenge the nation's sins.
"Thank God for the violent shooter," Phelps proclaims."We will remind the living that you can still repent and obey. This is ultimatum time with God."
Reuters, The Associated Press, NBC and msnbc.com staff contributed to this report.
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