Red Cross makes plea for blood following shooting

The Arizona Blood Services Region of the American Red Cross successfully provided the blood needed to treat patients connected to today's shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. 

“Hospitals requested additional units of types O positive and O negative blood earlier today in response to the shootings,” said CEO Darrin Greenlee, “and because of the everyday generosity of Arizona donors, we were able to fill the hospital orders from our existing supply. However, we will need the community’s help to begin replenishing specific blood types used today by area hospitals."

The region anticipates that it can continue to adequately fill all local hospital blood needs, but because of the extra units used today, it will need to start tomorrow to replenish its supply of O positive and O negative blood.   

Back to homepage

Subscriber Login

Keep reading with a digital access subscription.

Subscribe now

The region's two blood donor centers in Tucson will be open Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for those persons who already had blood donation appointments scheduled and for non-scheduled donors with type O negative and O positive blood only.

The donor centers are located at Foothills Mall, 7401 N. La Cholla Blvd. and at 7139 E. Broadway Blvd. 

Donors can also schedule donation appointments online at redcrossblood.org