Astronaut Mark Kelly Says He Thought Wife Was Dead Based on TV News Reports

NASA astronaut Mark Kelly, the husband of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, told ABC News’ Diane Sawyer that he watched television reports erroneously report that his wife had died in the shootings in Tucson.

“The kids … Claudia and Claire start crying. My mother, you know … I think she almost screamed. And I just, you know, walked into the bathroom, and you know, broke down,” Kelly said. “To hear that she died is just, it’s devastating for me.”

NPR was the first outlet to report her death, with all three cable networks, as well as the broadcasters, following suit, either citing NPR or their own sources.

Kelly also said that Giffords had expressed concerns about her safety in the past.

“She says, you know, ‘Someday I’m really worried that somebody’s going to come up to me at one of these events with a gun,’” he told Sawyer.

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