Delaware Senator knew several victims in Tucson shooting

It’s been a tough weekend for Delaware Senator Chris Coons.

Coons, who’s been friends with Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords for decades, says he also has a connection to another victim from Saturday’s shooting in Tucson.

“This has been a hard weekend. The couple who lost their 9-year-old daughter, Christina Taylor Green who was born on 9/11, her father is someone who I went to high school with and is a friend. I have a 9-year-old daughter myself and that’s been just heart wrenching to watch them on TV,” said Coons.

But the tragic events that unfolded in Arizona over the weekend did not dissuade Senator Coons from attending Monday’s farewell to about 50 Delaware National Guardsmen, who are deploying to Afghanistan for ten months.

“The Sergeant at Arms who is responsible for security for all the members of Congress is working with all of us and our staff to make sure that they’re taking appropriate measures. But frankly being out in the community, being accessible to people is just part of my job,” said Coons.

Coons says he will not increase his security detail for future public appearances.