43;A classmate of the man accused of shooting Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords this morning describes him as "left wing" and a "pot head" in a series of posts on Twitter this afternoon. Caitie Parker did not immediately respond to our request for an interview, but her "tweets" in the hours after the shooting paint a picture of Jared Loughner as a substance-abusing loner who had met Giffords before the shooting. She says, Loughner described the congresswoman as "stupid and unintelligent."
We've confirmed that Parker and Loughner went to school together at Mountain View High School in Tucson and that both attended Pima Community College, so her claims of knowing Loughner seem to be legit.
Related story: Palin and Tea Party Rhetoric Was Not the Reason Gabrielle Giffords Was Attacked -- America's Treatment of Mental Illness is to Blame.
Parker "tweets" that she and Loughner were in the band together and were friends until 2007 when he became "reclusive" after getting alcohol poisoning and dropping out of college.
She describes him as "quite liberal" and as a "political radical."
Below is a log of "tweets" posted by Parker beginning around the time of the shooting.
@antderosa it's loughner just checked my year book. less than 20 seconds ago via Twitter for iPhone in reply to antderosa
@lakarune I haven't seen him since '07. Then, he was left wing. 25 minutes ago via Twitter for iPhone in reply to lakarune
@noboa more left. I haven't seen him since '07 though. He became very reclusive. 27 minutes ago via Twitter for iPhone in reply to noboa
@antderosa he had a lot of friends until he got alcohol poisoning in '06, & dropped out of school. Mainly loner very philosophical. 29 minutes ago via Twitter for iPhone in reply to antderosa
@antderosa As I knew him he was left wing, quite liberal. & oddly obsessed with the 2012 prophecy. 33 minutes ago via Twitter for iPhone in reply to antderosa
@antderosa he was a pot head & into rock like Hendrix,The Doors, Anti-Flag. I haven't seen him in person since '07 in a sign language class 35 minutes ago via Twitter for iPhone in reply to antderosa
@antderosa He was a political radical & met Giffords once before in '07, asked her a question & he told me she was "stupid & unintelligent" 37 minutes ago via Twitter for iPhone in reply to antderosa
@antderosa I can. That is him. 39 minutes ago via Twitter for iPhone in reply to antderosa
@antderosa I went to high school, college, & was in a band with the gunman. This tragedy has just turned to horrific. 43 minutes ago via Twitter for iPhone in reply to antderosa
Official I went to high school & college, & was in a band w/ the gunman. I can't even fathom this right now. about 1 hour ago via Twitter for iPhone
Saying Jared Laughner was the gunman. Really hoping that's not the same guy I went to HS with, really good friend. Freaking out right now!!! about 1 hour ago via Twitter for iPhone
antderosa Arizona law enforcement official: "A person in the crowd shot back at the gunman." about 1 hour ago via TweetDeck
