Fort Hood gunman major was 'lone shooter'
America mourns deaths of 13 people at army base in Texas after military psychiatrist goes on rampage
Also In The News
|
By James Christie
Andy Murray celebrated signing a lucrative clothing deal with German sports giants Adidas by beating Leonardo Mayer 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals of the Valencia Open. |  |
Friday, 06, Nov 2009 05:06
By Matthew Champion and Richard James.
Army officials investigating the shooting of 13 people at a base in Texas say they have just one suspect.
Major Malik Nadal Hasan, an army psychologist with eight years experience, is in a civilian hospital under armed guard after reportedly opening fire with two handguns at Fort Hood, the largest US military base in the world.
The 39-year-old is in a stable condition with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds, spokesmen said on Friday, after initial reports said Major Hasan had died.
Thirty other people were wounded after the military psychiatrist reportedly went on a rampage in the base's soldier readiness area, where medical tests are performed prior to overseas deployments, before being shot four times by base police.
All the wounded are said to be in a stable condition.
Barack Obama has already addressed the US, describing the incident as "tragic" and a "horrific outburst of violence".
Base spokesman Lieutenant General Bob Cone said all of the victims apart from one, a civilian policeman, were soldiers.
The motive for the shooting has yet to be established, although reports suggest Major Hasan, a US-born Muslim, had complained of being harassed and was on the verge of being deployed to Afghanistan.
His cousin, Nader Hasan told Fox News: "He hired a military attorney to try to have the issue resolved, pay back the government, to get out of the military. He was at the end of trying everything."
Asked whether the shootings may be linked to terrorism, Fort Hood spokesman Lieutenant General Bob Cone said: "I couldn't rule that out but I'm telling you that right now, the evidence does not suggest that."
In a televised address following the shootings, President Obama said: "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."
Fort Hood can house up to 40,000 soldiers. In the aftermath of Thursday's shootings, which began at 13:30 local time (19:30 GMT), the entire base was in lockdown.
The site was only declared safe some five hours later.