Arizona shooter Loughner ruled incompetent to stand trial

Arizona shooter Loughner ruled incompetent to stand trial

2011-05-26 05:48:51 GMT+7 (ICT)

TUCSON, ARIZONA (BNO NEWS) -- A federal judge on Wednesday ruled that Jared Loughner, the shooter of the Tucson massacre last January, was incompetent to stand trial due to mental illness.

According to the Arizona Republic, the judge ordered Loughner to be hospitalized in a facility in Springfield, Missouri. Experts examined the defendant and determined that he was schizophrenic suffering from paranoia and delusions.

Loughner's mental illness rendered him unable to face trial and hew will be hospitalized in order to be medicated and stabilized to face the 49 charges against him, said Robbie Sherwood, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office.

On January 8, Loughner shot at people attending a rally hosted by U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in a supermarket in northwest Tucson. Six people, including 9-year-old Christina Greene and Chief Judge John Roll, were killed and 14 others injured.

Giffords, who was hosting her first "Congress on Your Corner" of the year, was the target and was critically injured as a result of a gunshot to her head but have since recovered.

Loughner was arrested after the shooting and charged in a 49-count indictment for the offenses against all civilians in attendance at the event. He was initially accused of crimes against only five victims.

The 22 year-old was examined by a staff psychologist at the U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield and forensic psychiatrist in San Diego. The tests were ordered due to Loughner's emotional problems and bizarre behavior before the shooting.

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