Who is he? Tucson suspect's history includes volunteer work and suspension

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Jared Loughner

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Posted: 01/10/2011

PHOENIX - The 22-year-old suspect in the Tucson shooting of U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords and 19 others was once a volunteer for the Pima Animal Care Center.

A dog walker for the animal care center between January and February of 2010, Jared Lee Loughner explained on his application that he wanted the job for fun – and experience.

According to Kim Janes, the manager at the Pima Animal Care Center, despite receiving dog walking training, Loughner only lasted a month as a volunteer.  He said Loughner transported some puppies into an area that was being decontaminated for a possible contagious animal illness, but Loughner didn't seem to understand why he needed to keep the dogs away from the area.  Janes said they asked Loughner to stop walking dogs as a result of that behavior, and Loughner never returned to volunteer.

Loughner also wrote on the Pima Animal Care Center application that he once worked as a sales representative at Eddie Bauer. The ABC15 Investigators contacted Eddie Bauer locations in Tucson; both stores would not comment.

More research shows Loughner attended Mountain View High School in the Marana Unified District but withdrew before his senior year.  He graduated from Aztec Middle College Northwest, an alternative high school, and went on to attend Pima Community College in Tucson. He was suspended from Pima Community College for violating its Code of Conduct on September 29, 2010.

"He was mentally unstable," said professor Ben McGahee. "Isolated. Kind of a social loner."

According to PCC, Loughner was a student between the Summer and Fall of 2005.

During his time at PCC, “Loughner had five contacts with PCC police for classroom and library disruptions,” according to a school news release.

In September of 2010, PCC said one of Loughner’s YouTube videos was discovered, claiming the “College is illegal according to the U.S. Constitution…”

According to PCC, the September suspension letter indicated that Loughner was to contact the College to schedule an appointment to discuss his status. Loughner and his parents apparently met administrators on October 4, 2010 and indicated Loughner would withdraw from the school.

PCC officials said they sent Loughner a letter three days later, saying if he intends to return to the college, he must resolve his violations and get a metal health clearance, including that he does not present a “danger to himself or others.”

"He was saying these random comments - these outbursts," McGahee said.

Loughner did not advance beyond the psychological consultation phase in his efforts to join the Army in 2008. Officials confirmed that he admitted to drug use as well.

In 2007, Loughner entered a diversion program after getting caught with drug paraphernalia. And a 2008 police report shows officers arrested him for drawing graffiti on a street sign. At the time, Loughner told police the graffiti drawing he made represented a Christian symbol.

Copyright 2011 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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