- On January 8th, 2011, a gunman shot nineteen people assembled to meet Congressperson Gabby Giffords in Tucson, Arizona ... this was the first time a US House member was targeted
- To bring healing and a sense of closure, the January 8th Memorial Foundation sought a permanent Memorial to commemorate the tragedy and create a symbol of hope, celebrating the community’s resilience ... they also sought a place for social discourse for future generations
- The Memorial is within El Presidio Park, adjacent to the Pima County Courthouse in downtown Tucson