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Former Arizona congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is speaking out on gun control reform. Wednesday, she returned to the scene of the shooting that severely injured her, and killed six others in 2011.

It's Giffords' first public event at the tucson safeway where the shooting took place. Speaking about a dozen words, she used them to ask congress to pass universal background checks for gun purchases. Giffords says: "be bold, be courageous, please support background checks."

Giffords is one of thirteen people injured when a gunman opened fier during a "congress on your corner" event in January 2011. Six others died. Kelly says that day would have been very different, if proposed changes were in place when the gunman purchased a weapon. Giffords' husband Mark Kelly says: "it's often the case that records about drug use, mental illness, and even people's criminal background is not entered into the national criminal background check system."

Kelly told those gathered, the discussion is more about public safety than about the second amendment.

Once he was ruled competent to stand trial, shooter Jared Lee Loughner pled guilty, which helped him avoid the death sentence. He was sentenced to seven consecutive life terms, plus one-hundred-forty years for the rampage.

Giffords and Kelly are gun owners themselves and have started a gun control group. They're running tv-ads promoting background checks.