Jan. 8 autopsies: 3 of 6 victims shot in head

Three of the six people killed in the Jan. 8 mass shooting were shot in the head, according to autopsy reports released Monday.

The others died from shots to the torso.

Phyllis Schneck, Dorwan Stoddard and Gabriel Zimmerman died from gunshot wounds to the head, the reports said.

The bullet that killed Schneck struck her shoulder before entering her head, her autopsy said.

Stoddard was shot in his left temple, and also in his leg and pelvis.

Zimmerman was shot in the back of the head. Zimmerman also had a graze wound from a bullet, his autopsy said.

Holes in Zimmerman's jacket didn't correspond with any wounds, and may indicate another shot that barely missed him.

The other three killed—Christina-Taylor Green, Dorothy Morris and Judge John Roll—were shot in the torso.

The shot that killed nine-year-old Green hit her aorta and a kidney.

Morris was shot twice, with one bullet passing through her heart.

Roll was shot in the back, perforating his aorta and small intestine.

Jared Lee Loughner, 22, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in the shootings.

The shooting, which authorities charge was an assassination attempt on U.S. Rep. Gabrille Giffords, took place at a constituent meet and greet event at a Northwest Side Safeway store.

13 were wounded in the shooting, including the congresswoman, who was shot through the left side of her brain. She is undergoing rehab at a Houston hospital. The other victims have all been released from the hospital.

32 rounds

Someone was hit for each of the 32 rounds allegedly fired by Loughner, according to the autopsies and statements by other victims at the "Congress On Your Corner" event,

The six who were killed were struck by a combined nine bullets, not including the bullet holes in Zimmerman's jacket.

The 13 who were wounded were hit 24 times in all, according to reports.

Bystanders subdued Loughner as he attempted to reload with another 31-round magazine, authorities said.

Loughner faces 49 federal charges in the shooting, including 14 that may result in a death penalty, if prosecutors pursue it.

Loughner had a not guilty plea entered on charges of trying to assassinate Giffords and kill two of her aides. He faces a court hearing Wednesday on the other counts.

Attempt to block autopsy release

In a move to block the release of the reports, federal prosecutors said that families of five of the victims objected to the autopsies becoming public, and that release could jeopardize a fair trial. Loughner's defense team concurred with the motion by the prosecution.

U.S. District Judge Larry Burns denied the motion last week, saying that the move was premature. Pima County's chief medical examiner, Dr. Bruce Parks, released the autopsies Monday.

Parks said in a statement that his office would not comment on the reports.

Under Arizona law, autopsies are public records, generally available on request.

Autopsy reports

After much deliberation, we've decided to make the complete autopsy reports available. These documents have graphic details about the victims and how they were killed; please don't read them if the information may offend or upset you. Click to see the links to the autopsies:

• Christina-Taylor Green
• Dorothy Morris
• John Roll
• Phyllis Schneck
• Dorwan Stoddard
• Gabriel Zimmerman