The scene outside the strip mall where Saturday’s massive shooting took place in Tucson is quiet today, but not without activity.

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI are on the scene combing the area for any additional pieces of evidence that remain that could be crucial to the investigation.

Officials from the Sheriff’s Department say their detectives will likely be on the scene until towards the end of the week.

In the meantime, everyday residents from the surrounding area are showing up to the strip mall to conduct business at the stores that are open, but also to take a moment to look at the exact spot where all the tragedy unfolded on Saturday. One woman said she had planned to come to the bank here on Saturday, but went somewhere else instead. She said she was relieved she didn’t come here because if she had seen Congresswoman Giffords, she surely would have gone up to say hello. Another man said he wanted to visit the scene today to pay respects and to feel a connection to the community.

The suspect, 22-year-old Jared Loughner, had his first appearance in federal court yesterday. His wore a tan jumpsuit and his head had been shaved, and some observers said he had a smirk on his face. The Pima County Sheriff’s department says it is going through old reports that may show the agency had some prior contact with the suspect, and that if they found any, they would release them to the media.

Former officials at Pima Community College, where Loughner was a student, say that he was a problem in class and made other students feel uncomfortable. They asked him not to come back until he had a mental evalutaion. There will likely be questions as to why the young man was never referred to any mental health services agency, and if he had been, whether Saturday’s bloody massacre could have been prevented.

The story will continue to unfold over the days and weeks ahead.