Dubai: US congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was in critical condition after being shot in the head on Saturday by a gunman who opened fire in Tucson, Arizona, killing six people, including a federal judge and a nine-year-old girl.

Minutes after the shootout, local and global media went on a frenzy, with some even reporting her death.

One top US national newspaper, for example, sent out a breaking news email alert at 1:46pm local time, saying that Arizona Democratic Representative Gabrielle Giffords had been shot at a Tucson public event.

It noted that Gifford had been taken to University Medical Center in Tucscon and her condition was not immediately known.

The same news outlet sent out a second flash at 2:25pm local time, saying that Giffords had died after being shot while hosting the event, and attributing the news to National Public Radio (NPR) and CNN.

According to NPR, the Pima County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to them that Giffords and six others had died in the shootout.

However, at 4:13pm local time, the same US newspaper sent out a third breaking news alert, simply noting: “The surgeon who operated on Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords said he is ‘optimistic’ about her recovery. Pima County sheriff says six people were killed in the Tucson shooting that wounded Giffords.”

Several media outlets across platforms – radio, television, online and social media – had in fact reported the death of Giffords only to retract it hours later.

Few – such as the BBC and the wire news agency Associated Press – were probably waiting for further confirmation of her death and did not break it.

The hospital where Giffords was treated said later they were hopeful she will recover despite being shot in the brain.

“She is in critical condition. They have finished operating on her and at the time period, I’m optimistic about recovery,” said University Medical Center trauma chief Peter Rhee. “We cannot tell what kind of recovery, but I’m about as optimistic as you can get,” he added.

Witnesses said the lawmaker was hit at point-blank range in the shooting.