Fort Hood, Texas
FORT HOOD, Texas—Soldiers who witnessed the shooting rampage at Fort Hood that left 13 people dead reported that the gunman shouted "Allahu Akbar!" before opening fire, the base commander said Friday.
Lt. Gen. Robert Cone said officials had not yet confirmed that the suspected shooter, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, made the comment, which is Arabic for "God is great!" before the rampage Thursday, which left 30 people wounded, including the gunman. An imam from a mosque Hasan regularly attended said Hasan, a lifelong Muslim, was a committed soldier, gave no sign of extremist beliefs and regularly wore his uniform at prayers. Cone said Hasan was hospitalized in stable condition and that investigators hope to interrogate him as soon as possible. In the early chaos after the shootings, authorities believed they had killed him, only to discover later that he had survived. Cone said Hasan was not known to be a threat or risk. He acknowledged that it was "counterintuitive" that a single shooter could kill and injure so many people. But he said the massacre occurred in "close quarters."
"With ricochet fire, he was able to injure that number of people," Cone said. Authorities are investigating whether Hasan’s weapons were properly registered with the military. The motive for the shooting wasn’t clear, but Hasan was apparently set to deploy soon and had expressed some anger about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, said generals at Fort Hood told her that Hasan was about to deploy overseas.
Lee said Hasan had hoped Obama would pull troops out of Afghanistan and Iraq and got into frequent arguments with others in the military who supported the wars.
Officials are not ruling out the possibility that some of the casualties may have been victims of "friendly fire," that in the mayhem and confusion at the shooting scene some of the responding military officials may have shot some of the victims. The gunfire broke out around 1:30 p.m. at the Soldier Readiness Center, where soldiers who are about to be deployed or who are returning undergo medical screening. Nearby, some soldiers were readying to head into a graduation ceremony for troops and families who had recently earned degrees.
Pastor Greg Schannep had just parked his car along the side of the theater and was about to head into the ceremony when a man in uniform approached him.
"Sir, they are opening fire over there!" the man told him. At first, he thought it was a training exercise—then heard three volleys and saw people running. As the man who warned him about the shots ran away, he could see the man’s back was bloodied from a wound.
Schannep said police and medical and other emergency personnel were on the scene in an instant, telling people to get inside the theater. The post went into lockdown while a search began for a suspect and emergency workers began trying to treat the wounded. Some soldiers rushed to treat their injured colleagues by ripping their uniforms into makeshift bandages to treat their wounds. Video from the scene showed police patrolling the area with handguns and rifles, ducking behind buildings for cover. Sirens could be heard wailing while a woman’s voice on a public-address system urged people to take cover. Schools on the base went into lockdown, and family members trying to find out what was happening inside found cell phone lines jammed or busy. "I was confused and just shocked," said Spc. Jerry Richard, 27, who works at the center but was not on duty during the shooting. "Overseas you are ready for it. But here you can’t even defend yourself."
The wounded were dispersed among hospitals in central Texas, Cone said. Their identities and the identities of the dead were not immediately released.
The bodies of the victims would be taken to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware for autopsies and forensic tests, said a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss matters that were under investigation.
There also will be a ceremony at the air base to honor the dead. Jamie and Scotty Casteel stood outside the emergency room at the hospital in Temple waiting for news of their son-in-law Matthew Cooke, who was among the injured.
"He’s been shot in the abdomen and that’s all we know," Jamie Casteel told The Associated Press. She said Cooke, from New York state, had been home from Iraq for about a year. Amber Bahr, 19, was shot in the stomach but was in stable condition, said her mother, Lisa Pfund of Random Lake, Wis. "We know nothing, just that she was shot in the belly," Pfund said. She couldn’t provide more details and only spoke with emergency personnel.
Nathan A. Hewitt, 26, of Lafayette, Ind., was shot in the hip and calf, his uncles Elmo Robledo and Rex Deaton told the Journal & Courier.
Ashley Saucedo told WOOD-TV in Michigan that her husband was shot in the arm, but she couldn’t discuss specifics. Saucedo said she and the couple’s two children weren’t permitted to leave their home at Fort Hood during the shootings.
For six years before reporting for duty at Fort Hood in July, Hasan worked at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center pursuing a career in psychiatry, as an intern, a resident and, last year, a fellow in disaster and preventive psychiatry. The 39-year-old Army major received his medical degree from the military’s Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md., in 2001.
But his record wasn’t sterling. At Walter Reed, he received a poor performance evaluation, according to an official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the case publicly. And while he was an intern, Hasan had some "difficulties" that required counseling and extra supervision, said Dr. Thomas Grieger, who was the training director at the time. Faizul Khan, a former imam at a mosque Hasan attended in Silver Spring, Md., said "I got the impression that he was a committed soldier." He said Hasan attended prayers regularly at the mosque in Silver Spring, Md., and was a lifelong Muslim. He spoke often with Hasan about Hasan’s desire for a wife. In an interview with The Washington Post, Hasan’s aunt, Noel Hasan of Falls Church, Va., said he had been harassed about being a Muslim in the years after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, and he wanted out of the Army.
"Some people can take it and some people cannot," she said. "He had listened to all of that and he wanted out of the military."
At least six months ago, Hasan came to the attention of law enforcement officials because of Internet postings about suicide bombings and other threats, including posts that equated suicide bombers to soldiers who throw themselves on a grenade to save the lives of their comrades.
Investigators had not determined for certain whether Hasan was the author of the posting, and a formal investigation had not been opened before the shooting, said law enforcement officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to discuss the case.
The FBI, local police and other agencies searched Hasan’s apartment Thursday night after evacuating the complex in Killeen, said city spokeswoman Hilary Shine. She referred questions about what was found to the FBI. The FBI in Dallas referred questions to a spokesman who was not immediately available early Friday morning.
bohica22 said on November 6, 2009 at 8:59 AM
GOD BLESS YOU MEN AND WOMEN @ FORT HOOD. KNOW THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE PRAYING FOR YA. THANK YA FOR ALL YA DO FOR THIS GREAT COUNTRY.
joneagle said on November 6, 2009 at 9:02 AM
Musilm, religion or peace and love.....real tough peace and love. my words are "McGovern treetops" yes the made me use capital M & G......this sucks! Guess KHOU isn't listening.
firedog said on November 6, 2009 at 9:11 AM
time to send him to his God. firing squad at 1700, what a way to start hh!!!!
cice2 said on November 6, 2009 at 9:13 AM
Uh huh....this is what I have been saying all along. Why do we even have Muslim soldiers? Houstonrocks -where you at now? I don't see you defending your Muslim brothers now! THEY WILL NOT STOP UNTIL WE ARE DEAD No true religion preaches violence and hate people
rphmh said on November 6, 2009 at 9:16 AM
Islam, the religion of peace? What a frickin' joke. This is just more proof that while not all muslims are terrorists, all terrorists are muslims.
bellagio said on November 6, 2009 at 9:33 AM
Another one of those peace loving muslims....why are they in our millitary....people need to wake up, can't believe I'm seeing people on tv talk about what a nice guy he was.....really, imagine that......terrorist in disguise...that's a new one.....get those things out of our country and out of our millitary
darem01 said on November 6, 2009 at 9:35 AM
I thought the unthinkable was 9/11, but now it is this. The soldiers and their familes are being prayed for and on the minds of Americans everywhere.
blaze928 said on November 6, 2009 at 9:36 AM
SAD sad sad God Bless our soldiers.
oilgasrecruiter said on November 6, 2009 at 9:46 AM
We wouldn't have wanted Nazi's in our military during WWII, why is this any different?
joneagle said on November 6, 2009 at 9:48 AM
WELL SAID!!! rphmh said on November 6, 2009 at 9:16 AM Islam, the religion of peace? What a frickin' joke. This is just more proof that while not all muslims are terrorists, all terrorists are muslims. my words (with correct puctuation too!) "Bache's readies"
sweetdulce said on November 6, 2009 at 10:00 AM
GOD BLESS FT.HOOD ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS!
boondocksaint said on November 6, 2009 at 11:31 AM
We should not allow Muslims wear their garb here. All muslims are EVIL. To all the stupid idiots that thought HE WAS OK. PEOPLE BETTER WAKE UP AND REALIZE WHAT IS REALLY EVIL AND WHAT IS NOT. Over and over again we have VIOLENT nuts religous or not that keep killing people and all people can say is He was sooooooooooo nice.
texmex007 said on November 6, 2009 at 11:54 AM
"How can we judge when we wage war around the globe and don't even think of it twice. When things like these happen in our back yard,we act shocked.."
froggie100 said on November 6, 2009 at 11:57 AM
What I have to say about this...my thoughts and beliefs...are politically incorrect and KHOU will probably delete my statement. That said, here goes...for the sake of this country and it's people, we should filter out those who confess loyalty to any arab country and/or the muslim religion. If this offends people, then let them defend their actions. 911...the most horrific spectical of terrorism this nation has ever seen, was perpetrated on us by arab muslims. Not too long ago, a arab teenager was caught in a terroristic act right here in Texas. The list of terroristic actions from these people goes on and on. They have violated the freedoms and the trust granted to them in this country and they need to be dealt with immediatly before we have another 911. What kind of moronic state are we in that we would allow any arabic/muslim people into our military?? After the abominations that they have perpertated on this country?? Are we blind? Get them out!
david06fox said on November 6, 2009 at 11:57 AM
hoorah! to all of you men and women of fort hood yall
froggie100 said on November 6, 2009 at 12:00 PM
And may God rest the souls of the soldiers that this maniac killed... May God be with their families...and may he be with those who were wounded and heal them completely. Kudos to the officer who shot this guy! Only it he should have been shot right between the eyes.
texmex007 said on November 6, 2009 at 12:14 PM
"I am sure that the Bush gang and tea drinkers will use this incident to continue to do their fear mongering. They will continue there racist and hate speech against anyone that doesn't agree with them. The Bushees will use this to push the Patriot Act and continue to strip away our freedoms and liberties here in this Country." Oh ,and Perry needs to go get a hair cut and shut the Hell Up"..
cice2 said on November 6, 2009 at 12:33 PM
Hey texmex wake up Bush is not president any more. Get a life It's not racisim if it's true....it's just a fact. Terrorists are Muslim. Deal with it.
noitall said on November 6, 2009 at 12:42 PM
texmex007 ,have you ever wached the news ? Obama & the Dems are in charge now !
tlb54 said on November 6, 2009 at 1:14 PM
My heart and prayers go out to the soldiers and their families at Fort Hood. You put your lives on the line for our freedoms. You should not have to worry about your homefront. Texmex, do you not have honor and will use anyone's tragedy to push your politics? There ARE other states (or countries) you can live in...maybe you should try one!
tlb54 said on November 6, 2009 at 1:19 PM
My heart and prayers go out to the soldiers and their families of Fort Hood. You put your lives on the line for our freedoms. You should not have to worry about your homefront. -- TexMex, do you not have any honor? You will use anyone's tragedy for your political soapbox? There are other states (and countries) that you can go if you do not like Texas...why don't you try one.
tlb54 said on November 6, 2009 at 1:22 PM
P.S. I DO NOT LIKE THE NEW FORMAT!
chevy_princess said on November 6, 2009 at 1:54 PM
First my heart goes out to the AMERICAN familys and soilders. By american I mean wholesome god fearing raised on our wonderful soil!!!! Second what would ever posses us to accepts these (insert ur word here cause i cant say mine its really bad!!!) into our military!!!! For crying out loud as if our families havent sacraficed n lost enough but now we have to do it over here as well!!!! uhhh i hope the torture the (beep) and kill him slowly!!! we need to pull out n blow it all away in my opinion!!!! I LOVE MY COMBAT ENGINEER!!! --- Pray he stays safe!!!
dubie said on November 6, 2009 at 2:56 PM
texmex Why dont you change that name to mextex or for that matter how bout mexmex, yahoo as you say,you dont like the way we feel about things, vamanose
stjakk said on November 6, 2009 at 4:08 PM
1) Maj.Hasan...may Shiatan devour your worthless,cowardly soul.......... 2)Texmex....you sukk..........
icstupidpeople said on November 7, 2009 at 11:07 AM
TEXMEX so eloquently stated :"How can we judge when we wage war around the globe and don't even think of it twice. When things like these happen in our back yard,we act shocked.." Let me explain something to you since your capacity for intelligent thought appears to be limited.. Nobody wages war without thinking twice about it. Your statement is as ignorant as it is untrue. Secondly, we act shocked when things like this happen in our backyard because it was one of our OWN soldiers (a MAJOR for crying out loud) that did this. However, as much as I hate to admit it, you are on to something. We shouldn't be very shocked at things like this when we allow the ENEMY to join our military! We have given this country over to foreign invaders and have allowed them to use our freedoms against us. Stand by America, things will get uglier.. to borrow a phrase from our illustrious leader: Change Has Come.