President Barack Obama will head to Arizona Wednesday for a memorial service being held in honor of the victims of a shooting rampage that killed six and wounded more than a dozen Saturday, including US Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, Fox News Channel reported.
Obama earlier Monday thanked Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik for his department’s efforts in the aftermath of the shooting.
The president also rang two heroes from the scene of the shooting, Patricia Maisch and Roger Salzgeber, who are credited with stopping gunman Jared Lee Loughner, as well as the families of the victims.
Those killed in the shooting were John Roll, 63, a federal district court judge; Gabriel Zimmerman, 30, one of Gifford’s aides; Christina Greene, nine, an elementary school student; Dorwin Stoddard, 76, who attended the event with his wife Mavy, who was injured; Dorothy Morris, 76, who moved to Oro Valley, Ariz. with her husband George, who was hospitalized with a gunshot wound; and Phyllis Scheck, 79, a widow who spent winters in Tucson.
Loughner made his first appearance in federal court in Phoenix Monday and was ordered to be held without bail pending further court hearings.
A senior administration official confirmed to Fox New Channel on Monday night that Obama would visit Arizona Wednesday to attend the memorial.