Twelve killed, 31 wounded in Fort Hood massacre

The Waco Tribune-Herald and The Dallas Morning News now report that the alleged shooter is not dead, but hospitalized in stable condition.
A military mental health doctor facing deployment overseas allegedly opened fire at Fort Hood this afternoon, killing 12 people in a rampage that also left 31 wounded. The alleged shooter is hospitalized in stable condition and in custody, according to Lt. Gen. Robert Cone, the base’s commanding officer. The suspect, Army Maj. Malik Nadal Hasan, was initially reported as having been killed.

Cone said the death toll from the attack remains 12 after another victim died. Authorities said immediately after Thursday’s attack that they had killed the suspected shooter. But Cone now says the suspected shooter is alive and stable condition. Cone offered little explanation to reporters at a news conference as to why the suspect was believed dead, saying only there was confusion at the hospital.
From The Waco Tribune-Herald
Report from KXAN News, Austin
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Twelve soldiers have been killed and 31 wounded in a shooting rampage at Fort Hood.
Ten of the injured have been taken to Scott & White Hospital in Temple, officials there said. All have gunshot wounds and some also have orthopedic injuries. Four of them are in the operating room right now and the rest are being evaluated in the emergency department, they said.

Scott & White only has the Level 1 trauma center in Central Texas, which is the highest designation offered by the state. Accommodations have been made for family members of the wounded to stay at the hospital overnight, officials said. Transportation help is also being provided to them, they said. All Scott & White doctors have been called in to help, officials said, and more patient rooms have been readied in case they are needed. The hospital is on lockdown, which means no one can enter without an escort.

Glen Couchman, associate system chief medical officer, said Darnall Army Medical Center, Scott & White’s Temple hospital and Metroplex Hospital in Killeen have taken wounded patients. Scott & White’s Round Rock campus and Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center in Waco also are ready to take patients if needed, he said. Hillcrest has a Level II trauma center. Killeen’s Metroplex Hospital received seven of the wounded.

As part of its response, Scott & White has asked the public to donate blood. John Hamilton, a medical equipment salesman from Austin, said he stopped at the Temple hospital to donate after hearing news of the incident on the radio while driving on Interstate 35.

“I figured that it was the least I could do,” Hamilton said.

The Fort Hood Media Relations Office said a Fort Hood family hotline has been set up at 254-288-7570 and 1-866-836-2751.

Lt. Gen. Robert Cone, the base’s commanding officer, said one shooter has been killed and two other soldiers were apprehended as suspects. All three are U.S. soldiers, Cone said.

The U.S. Army made a video report about the shootings that can be seen at the Tribune-Herald site..

A law enforcement official identified the shooting suspect to The Associated Press as Army Maj. Malik Nadal Hasan. The official said Hasan, believed to be in his late 30s, was killed after opening fire at the base. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the case publicly.

The official says investigators are trying to determine if Hasan was his birth name, or if he changed his name and converted to Islam at some point in his life.

The base is still under lockdown, Cone said, and will remain so until officials are certain the situation is stabilized.

The general said the gunman opened fire at about 1:30 p.m. in the Soldiers Readiness Processing Center, which is a facility where soldiers are processed before deploying or upon their return. The shooter was quickly killed by other soldiers, Cone said.

The other two suspects were captured in the same area the shootings took place, Cone said. The readiness facility consists of several buildings previously used as the Sports Dome complex.

All of the dead and wounded were in that area, Cone said. The shooter used two handguns in the attack, the general said.

The Army also released a video of the aftermath of the attack you can see at the Herald-Tribune site.

Fort Hood has requested assistance in the investigation from the FBI, Cone said.

The Veterans Affairs hospital in Temple has activated its emergency operations center and is prepared to help Fort Hood officials in several areas, said public affairs specialist Deborah Meyer. The VA hospital is in the process of sending some prescription medications to Darnall, Meyer said. It has also identified beds that could be used for people wounded in the incident, if necessary.

In addition, the VA has mental health workers ready to help, should they be needed at Fort Hood or other Central Texas VA facilities to talk with patients who might be upset by the situation, Meyer said.

President Barack Obama was notified of the shootings.

“I would ask all Americans to keep the men and women of Fort Hood in your thoughts and prayers,” Obama said. “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 honor 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 are at home is provided for.”

U.S. Rep Chet Edwards, D-Waco, who co-chairs the Army Caucus and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee, released the following statement: “The soldiers and families of Fort Hood have served our nation with distinction and made tremendous sacrifices for all of us so I am heartbroken to learn that this terrible tragedy has occurred. My family’s thoughts and prayers go out to all the victims and loved ones.”

Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison released the following 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.

“Our dedicated military personnel have sacrificed so much in service to our country, and it sickens me that the men and women of Fort Hood have been subjected to this senseless, random violence. I know all Americans share this concern for the soldiers and their families who are affected by this tragedy.”

Because of the Fort Hood shootings, Scott & White is asking for donations of all blood types. Officials are asking people to go to Scott & White Blood Donor Center and donate blood as soon as possible. The center is in Room 115 next the McLane Dining Room in the main hospital.

It is open today until at least 7 p.m.; people can call 254-724-4376 if they need any assistance on determining your eligibility to donate.

The Waco chapter of the American Red Cross is establishing a communications program so people around the country can check on the safety of individual personnel at Fort Hood.

“The Safe & Well program allows those involved in an emergency to register online at www.safeandwell.org so their loved ones can find them and check on their safety,” the agency said in a statement.

The Waco chapter has mental health workers on standby and is ready to deploy upon station request, it said.
From The Waco Tribune-Herald
Video report shown on KEYE News, Austin
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Photos from The Austin American-Statesman
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Twelve soldiers have been killed and 31 wounded in a shooting incident at Fort Hood, according to Lt. Gen. Robert Cone, the base’s commanding officer. Cone said one shooter has been killed and two other soldiers were apprehended as suspects.

The general said the initial shooter opened fire at about 1:30 p.m. in the Soldiers Readiness Processing Center, which is a facility that soldiers get checkups before deploying. The shooter was quickly killed by other soldiers, Cone said.

The other two suspects were captured in the same area the shootings took place, Cone said. The readiness facility consists of several buildings previously used as the Sports Dome complex. All of the dead and wounded were in that area, Cone said.

The shooter used two handguns in the attack, the general said.

KCEN-TV, Channel 9, reported that four SWAT members were wounded in the shootings.

Fort Hood has requested assistance in the investigation from the FBI, Cone said.
The White House said President Barack Obama was notified of the shootings.

U.S. Rep Chet Edwards, D-Waco, who co-chairs the Army Caucus and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee, released the following statement:

“The soldiers and families of Fort Hood have served our nation with distinction and made tremendous sacrifices for all of us so I am heartbroken to learn that this terrible tragedy has occurred.

“My family’s thoughts and prayers go out to all the victims and loved ones.”

Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison released the following 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.

“Our dedicated military personnel have sacrificed so much in service to our country, and it sickens me that the men and women of Fort Hood have been subjected to this senseless, random violence. I know all Americans share this concern for the soldiers and their families who are affected by this tragedy.”

Killeen ISD campuses on the base are on lockdown. A high school football game between Copperas Cove and Harker Heights at Killeen’s Leo Buckley Stadium has been canceled.
From The Waco Herald-Tribune
Updates from KXXV News, Waco Temple Killeen
Report from KVUE News, Austin
Report from News 8, Austin