Shooting at Fort Hood army base kills at least 12 - Posted
pdate 5:30: ABC News has identified
the Ft. Hood shooter. The suspected gunman was identified by ABC News as Major Malik Nadal Hasan.
The shooter was killed and two other suspects, who are also soldiers, have been apprehended, Lt. Gen. Robert W. Cone said.
Update 5:25: President Barack Obama made a statement on the Fort Hood shooting. The transcript:
"My immediate thoughts and prayers are with the wounded and with the families of the fallen and with those who live and serve at Fort Hood. These are men and women who have made the selfless and courageous decision to risk and at times give their lives to protect the rest of us on a daily basis.
It’s difficult enough when we lose these brave Americans in battles overseas.
It is horrifying that they should come under fire at an army base on American soil.
I’ve spoken to secretary Gates, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, and I will continue to receive a constant stream of updates as new information comes in. We are working with the Pentagon, the FBI, the department of homeland security all to ensure that Fort Hood is secure and we will continue to support the community with the full resources of the federal government. In the meantime, I would ask all Americans to keep the men and women of Fort Hood in your thoughts and prayers. We will make sure that we get answers to every single question about this horrible incident and I want all of you to know that as commander
In chief, there’s no greater honour but also no greater responsibility for me than to make sure that the extraordinary men and women in uniform are properly cared for and that their safety and security when they’re at home is provided for.”
Update 5:20: The Reuters story has been
updated with the latest news.
Update 5:15: More from General Bob Cone's press conference:
We’ve had a terrible tragedy here at Fort Hood today. The situation is ongoing although I think we have positive news that we’re very close to a resolution. At approximately 13:30 hours today, a shooter entered what we call a soldier readiness facility where soldiers who are preparing to deploy go for last minute medical checkups and dental treatment, etc.
A shooter opened fire and due to the quick response of the police forces was killed.
At this time the numbers that we’re looking at are
12 dead and 31 wounded and they are dispersed among the local hospitals here in the central Texas area. The extent of injuries varies significantly and again, we’re getting great cooperation from the central Texas medical facillities.
The shooter was killed. He was a soldier. We since then have apprehended two additional soldiers that are suspects. I would go into the point that there were eyewitness accounts that there may have been more than one shooter. They tracked the suspected individuals to an adjacent facility and they were apprehended. They are soldiers, but again they are suspects at this time and we’re looking into that."
Update 5:05: General Bob Cone, the commanding officer at Ft. Hood calls the shooting a "terrible tragedy. It's stunning."
President Barack Obama made a statement regarding the shooting. "It is horrifying that these men and women should come under fire at an American base on U.S. soil."
Update 4:52 p.m.: According to a U.S. Army statement the death toll at the Fort Hood shooting has risen to 12 dead and 31 wounded.
The gunman was among the dead and according to a press conference the victims were all shot at the soldier readiness facility, a series of buildings used to ready soldiers for deployment.
Eyewitness accounts say there may have been more than one shooter and authorities have apprehended two suspects. The gunman and the two suspects are all soldiers. One of the 12 victims was a Fort Hood police officer.
Update: 4:50 p.m.: Texas senator Kay Bailey Hutchison has issued a statement: "I am shocked and saddened by today's outburst of violence at Fort Hood that has cost seven of our brave service members their lives and has gravely injured others.
"My heart goes out to their loved ones."
Update: 4:40 p.m.: A memo from
Scott & White Memorial hospital, one of the hospitals taking wounded:
Scott & White Memorial Hospital is receiving victims from Fort Hood. No specifics are known regarding the incident resulting in the shooting. At this time, the victims coming to Scott & White are suffering from gun shot wounds. We have nothing else to report at this time.
There are also reports that
shots have been fired near a residential area for soldiers.
Update 4:25 p.m.: There are reports that the death toll at the Fort Hood shooting may have
risen to nine. A general has also reported that the number of
wounded may rise to as high as 30 people.
Last year there was another shooting where
two soldiers lost their lives.
There was also complaints from wounded soldiers that they were being mistreated.
From CNN:
During the visit, Mullen met privately with about 30 wounded troops at Fort Hood, Texas. "The wounded expressed concern that, at Fort Hood, they were stigmatized and treated as lesser Soldiers for being wounded, ill, or injured," the memo said.
Update 4:20 p.m.: You can also follow
a Twitter list of local media reporting on the Fort Hood shooting.
Update 4:15 p.m.: The second suspect has reportedly been captured.
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A shooting has killed at least seven people and wounded at least 20 at Fort Hood, Texas, one of the largest army bases in the United States.
According to reports there are two possibly three suspects involved in the shooting. They are believed to have been wearing army uniforms and one of them may have been carrying a high-powered rifle.
Read the Reuters story
Local news is reporting that one suspect may have been captured. A SWAT team is believed to have one of the shooters holed up and may have exchanged fire with police, wounding a number of officers.
The Austin Statesman is livetweeting developments of the story on
@fthoodshooting.
The Statesman is also
blogging on the shooting.
NBC affiliate KCEN is broadcasting,
The Associated Press is
reporting on the events:
Army spokesman Lt. Col. Nathan Banks says the first shooting began at about 1:30 p.m. at a personnel and medical processing office. The facility, called a Soldier Rating and Processing center, handles administrative details for soldiers.
Banks says two shooters were apparently involved. There was no immediate word on who they were, nor on identities of the dead.
Banks says the second incident took place at a theater on the sprawling base.
Another Army official identified that site as the Howze Theater
CNN gives a bit of
background on the army base. Fort Hood is the Army's largest U.S. post, with about 40,000 troops. It is home to the Army's 1st Cavalry Division and elements of the 4th Infantry Division, as well as the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment and the 13th Corps Support Command. It is located near Killeen, Texas.
In June, Fort Hood's commander, Lt. Gen. Rick Lynch, told CNN that he was trying to ease the kind of stresses soldiers face. He has pushed for soldiers working a day schedule to return home for dinner by 6 p.m., and required his personal authorization for anyone working weekends. At the time, two soldiers stationed there had committed suicide in 2009 -- a rate well below those of other posts.
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