Suspicious Package Found Outside Giffords’ Tucson Office

UPDATE:

A loud noise rattled more than 100 people gathered for a candlelight vigil outside the Tucson headquarters of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords Saturday night, where bomb squad officials were investigating a suspicious package.

A bomb squad had been working to render the device safe before the loud noise was heard and it's unclear at this point whether the loud noise was caused by contents within the package or from authorities' efforts to destroy the device.  Police authorities say there was no threat to public safety.

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People holding vigil outside the local Tucson office of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords have reportedly been pushed back and the bomb squad is being deployed to investigate a suspicious package.

The AP reports:

Authorities were investigating a suspicious package sent to the headquarters of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords on Saturday, hours after she was wounded in a shooting rampage in Tucson.

Police department spokesman Lt. Fabian Pacheco said an officer checking Giffords' office in Tucson found "a real strange" device that he described as a medal (sic) container resembling a coffee can and with writing on it. Pacheco would not disclose what the writing said.

He said authorities warned people at a candle light vigil across the street from Gifford's office that they may hear loud noise as a bomb squad worked to render the device safe, but they should not be alarmed.

Pacheco said there was no threat to public safety.

"It's been a horrible and tragic day," he said. "The prudent thing for us is to take everything seriously."

Giffords was holding a forum for constituents earlier Saturday when the violence erupted, killing six and wounding several others, including Giffords.

At the candle light vigil held, more than 100 people huddled in the cold, held candles and read signs that said "Peace," and "Just Pray."

"She's just a great person," said Margaret Robles, 64, a retired teacher's aid who knew Gifford's grandparents. "She didn't care what color, what race, if you could read or if you were a scholar. She treated you as an equal."