The shooting spree that killed a federal judge named John Roll, a 9-year-old girl, four others, and seriously injured Congresswoman Gabby Giffords is a national tragedy.

The motive of the shooter, apparently a 22-year-old screwball named Jared Loughner, will be interesting to try to discern. But all indications are he is a deranged individual acting alone and that's it.

Efforts by to politicize this by partisan activists from either side are pathetic and just awful.