Mira Costa High School graduate Jim Tucker was one of 13 people wounded in the Jan. 8 shooting in Tucson, Arizona. The shooting also took the lives of six people, including a federal judge, and seriously wounded U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.
Tucker, 58, and his wife Doris were among attendees at Giffords’ “Congress on Your Corner” event outside a grocery store when accused gunman Jared Loughner allegedly ran up and started shooting.
“We were both talking with Congresswoman Giffords when the shooting started,” reads a statement released by the Tuckers. “Jim was struck by bullets in his right shoulder and right leg; Doris, thankfully was not injured.”
Giffords was struck in the face above the left eye from two to three feet away. Tucker, described as a kind and gentle man by old Costa classmates, was hospitalized for about a week and then released.
Tucker is a Manhattan Beach native who in 1984 moved to Tucson, where he lives roughly two miles from the Safeway supermarket at which the shootings occurred, according to reports from Arizona newspapers. He works as an environmental health and safety fire inspector at Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson’s largest employer. Doris works at the University of Arizona. The couple has no children, a neighbor told The Arizona Republic.
According to local reports, Tucker is a former firefighter, a big man who for the past five years dedicated much of his time to his neighborhood homeowner’s association. Tucson neighbors described him to local papers as someone always willing to lend a hand.
The couple said they attended Giffords’ event “to express appreciation for her service as our congressional representative.”
A 1970 Costa graduate, Tucker was a member of the school’s swim and water polo teams. Former Costa classmate and Hermosa resident Jonathan Coleman, who ran into Tucker at last year’s 40th class reunion, described him as “gentle.”
“He was always the nicest guy,” Coleman said. “When he’d see you in the hallway, he’d always come up and say, ‘Hi.’”
Tucker is part of a Costa alumni email group of about 20 of his former classmates that circulated news about his condition during the aftermath of the shootings.
“After it happened, those emails were just flying around,” Coleman said.
In one email, former teammate and Hermosa Beach resident Kent Caldwell shared a story from Tucker’s last Costa swim meet. The Mustangs faced Santa Monica High School and would become Bay League Champions if they succeeded. Caldwell was sick, but made it through two events before going into the 400-yard freestyle relay. The teams were tied. When Caldwell dove in to swim the third leg of the relay, he started having trouble breathing and fell half a length behind. The final swimmer couldn’t close the gap and Santa Monica won the league championships.
“That’s where the story ended before,” Caldwell wrote to the alumni group in a Jan. 17 email. “What I didn’t tell you is this: After we lost our whole team was quiet. As we got on the bus for the long drive home to Mira Costa from Santa Monica no one said anything but I knew it was all my fault we didn’t win. Then one team member on the bus…yelled at me as I was trying not to let anyone see the tears in my eyes. ‘You idiot! Why didn’t you tell the coach you were sick? You cost us the championship!’ And as tears streamed down my face — as they are right now just recalling the emotions of this long ago event — a voice from the back of the bus yelled, ‘Shut up! Can’t you see he feels bad enough already?’ And that voice belonged to Big Jim Tucker.”
“I would not in the least bit be surprised if Jim threw himself in harm’s way to protect [Doris] and others,” Caldwell added in reference to the Jan. 8 incident.
“I remember Jim being one of those really nice kids that would never bully anybody,” recalled another former classmate. “I’m sure we’re all not surprised that Jim continued on to become the strong, kind, man that he is today.”
Tucker was rushed to University Medical Center in Tucson after the shooting and was released on Jan. 17, according to an email.
“I heard he was in good spirits,” Coleman said.
In their statement, the Tuckers expressed gratitude to Tucson’s public safety agencies, friends around the world, their local church and “the Good Samaritans who aided and comforted Jim prior to the arrival of the emergency responders, and who sat with Doris in the emergency room.”
“You have our special thanks,” the couple said.
Raytheon spokesperson John Patterson said that the company was in close contact with and offered many prayers for Tucker during his recovery.
“We were directly touched by this because one of our own was hit by the gunfire,” Patterson said. “It’s a tough time for us right now in Tucson.” ER
