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Army: 12 die in dual shootings at Fort Hood, Texas
FORT HOOD, Texas (Seattle Times/AP)- A soldier opened fire at a U.S. Army base in Fort Hood, Texas on Thursday, unleashing a stream of gunfire that left 12 people dead and 31 wounded. Authorities killed the gunman, and apprehended two other soldiers suspected in the attack.
The shooting began around 1:30 p.m., Lt. Gen. Bob Cone said at a news conference. He said all the casualties took place at the base’s Soldier Readiness Center, where soldiers who are about to be deployed or who are returning undergo medical screening.
The base was locked down after the shootings. The wounded were dispersed among hospitals in central Texas, Cone said.
In Washington, President Barack Obama called the shooting “a horrific outburst of violence.” He said it’s a tragedy to lose a soldier overseas and even more horrifying when they come under fire at an Army base on American soil.
“We will make sure that we get answers to every single question about this horrible incident,” the commander in chief said. “We are going to stay on this.”
Shooter identified as Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan …
(Air Force Times) – An Army psychiatrist was identified as one of the gunmen in a shooting rampage on Fort Hood, Texas, that left at least 12 people dead and up to 31 wounded.
One soldier, a suspect, was killed and two soldiers were taken into custody, according to base spokesman Lt. Gen. Bob Cone, who added that the three suspects were soldiers.
A Pentagon source identified the shooter as Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan; the source said Hasan was a psychiatrist recently reassigned from Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., to work with soldiers at Darnall Army Medical Center on Fort Hood. He was killed at the scene.
The Fort Hood Web site posted an alert that said, “Effective immediately, Fort Hood is closed.” The Web site said units at the base have been ordered to account for all personnel. The site said, “This is not a drill. It is an emergency situation.”
Fort Hood was “asking for EMTs because it’s a mass casualty event,” said Hilary Shine, spokeswoman for the City of Killeen, where Fort Hood is located. “They are having issues getting on and off post because they’ve locked it down. Right now there are a lot of questions and confusion.”
Fort Hood is set up like its own city with its own fire, police and medical facilities, Shine said. It has not asked for Killeen police to assist, but the police are on call if needed, she said.
Fort Hood is halfway between Austin and Waco, Texas.
FBI agents are traveling to Fort Hood to assess the crime and work with the Army Criminal Investigation Division, which is the lead agency, said Supervisory Special Agent Jason Pack, a spokesman for the FBI.
Major Nidal Hasan’s medical profile on the Virigina Board of Medicine website.
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."
