By: AJ

This article focuses solely on the crimes committed by Jared Loughner. Sheriff Dupnik is the chief law enforcement officer in Pima County; therefore, these unanswered questions are directed to him. What stands between violent criminals and innocent people? Local law enforcement who bravely protect and serve.

Why did Sheriff Dupnik’s office fail to enforce the law upon Jared Loughner’s first threat of violence? How about the second, third or fourth threat of violence?

Why didn’t Sheriff Dupnik make inquiries about Loughner when reasonable suspicion arose from Loughner’s threats of violence?

If Sheriff Dupnik had spent 15 minutes inquiring about Loughner, he would have learned that Loughner’s violent threats were supported by evidence that was in plain sight. He would have learned of the fear Loughner instilled in others (e.g. the professor and students at Loughner’s school), his illegal drug use and his mental instability.

With a relatively quick search on the internet, Sheriff Dupnik might have seen Loughner’s videos, or seen that he was one of only two subscribers on Congresswoman Giffords’ YouTube page.

Even if Sheriff Dupnik didn’t think to check the internet, he still had the opportunity to hold Loughner for 72 hours to undergo a mental evaluation or, at a minimum, place Loughner under surveillance due to his threats or drug use – both of which are illegal.

Why didn’t Sheriff Dupnik contact Congresswoman Giffords and provide security for her well-publicized event when the Sheriff knew there was a person on the street that made repeated threats of violence and was in need of a mental evaluation based upon the evidence his office already had in their possession?

Is Sheriff Dupnik aware that if he had done his job and required a mental evaluation, Jared Loughner would have been placed on a list prohibiting him from purchasing a weapon and the heinous crime committed by Loughner might not have occurred?

Let’s recap… a criminal record, threats of violence, mentally unstable, instilling fear in others and illegal drug use… Weren’t any of these enough to motivate Sheriff Dupnik to do his job? We’re also just learning today that the police were sent to Loughner’s home on more than one occasion before he murdered and wounded innocent people – but we’re not learning this from Sheriff Dupnik.

Is Sheriff Dupnik negligent, or is it more accurate to say that he is incompetent?

Does Sheriff Dupnik know that from the time of his first press conference until now, people expected to hear facts… specific factual information that’s conveyed at all press conferences given by law enforcement officials?

Loughner’s criminal record is supposed to be available to reporters, but Sheriff Dupnik is withholding that information from the press and the public. Sheriff Dupnik also refused to reveal those facts when asked at the first press conference. Since then, Sheriff Dupnik has persisted in his failure to provide criminal information on Loughner.

As the Sheriff of Pima County, he instead chooses to use the media for his ridiculous and irrelevant rants which have nothing to do with factual evidence on Loughner, the crimes he committed or the innocent victims and devastated families. Why?

Relative to evidence, why is Sheriff Dupnik now backtracking with regard to the violent threats Loughner made? Why is he withholding information from the public? Also, when he appeared certain in his first press conference that Loughner did not act alone, why did he later state the opposite?

To make a mistake is understandable, but for a Sheriff to do nothing when ample evidence of danger was fully available to him, to withhold information after the fact and to be wrong on every critical aspect of a horrific crime is inexcusable.

Again, I ask… is Sheriff Dupnik negligent, or is it more accurate to say that he is incompetent? Either one makes him unfit to serve as a Sheriff.

An independent investigation of Sheriff Dupnik and his office needs to occur immediately.

Anything less is a grave injustice to the victims, their families, the residents of Pima County and all of us who care deeply about what’s happened to Congresswoman Giffords and everyone victimized and devastated by the unspeakable criminal acts that Loughner committed.