A US congresswoman is in critical condition after a gunman shot her in the head and killed six people in an Arizona shooting spree.
Democratic Representative Gabrielle Giffords was shot at close range at a public meeting in a Tucson supermarket.
The 40-year-old is under sedation, but the doctor treating her said he was "very optimistic about her recovery".
A 22-year-old man has been arrested and police are hunting for a second man in connection with the shooting.
The suspect in custody, who was wrestled to the ground at the scene of the shooting, has been named locally as Arizona resident Jared Loughner, who is described as having a troubled past.
Various former classmates have described him as "obviously disturbed" and a loner who had posted a number of anti-government videos and messages on social networking websites. BBC News
