The public is likely to become even more estranged from the anti-abortion movement in the wake of the fatal shooting of Dr. David Gunn in Pensacola, Fla., and popular sentiment will agitate for more federal protection of women seeking abortions, says Carole Joffe, a UC Davis sociologist and expert on abortion issues. In addition, the combination of the shooting and the confirmation of U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno likely will mean more aggressive federal involvement. For example, Joffe says, more consideration will be given to the question of a federal investigation into whether a conspiracy exists to keep women from getting access to abortions. On the other hand, Gunn's death will make some providers even more reluctant to perform abortions. The fallout from the shooting is also likely to further increase demand for the RU-486 abortion pill in the United States. Should RU-486 become available, it would move the site of abortion away from freestanding clinics, diffusing abortion services among a wider range of settings, such as in the offices of individual physicians.