(WHAS11 and ABC)—The military major and psychiatrist that opened fire at the Fort Hood Army Post Thursday is in the hospital under guard after being shot four times.
Soldiers at the military base were preparing for deployment Thursday afternoon. They were not prepared for a gunman, one of their own armed with two handguns, who opened fire, killing 13 and injuring 30.The victims, most of them soldiers, were unarmed and unable to defend themselves.
The shooting finally ended when a responding police officer shot and injured the gunman. Rumors of other shooters kept the entire base on lockdown for several hours, including the community's nine schools.
The suspect, identified as 39-year-old Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan, is a military psychiatrist trained to help soldiers in his unit. Initial reports Thursday mistakenly indicated he had been killed in the exchange of gunfire.
“He was not killed as previously reported, he is currently in custody and in stable condition,” Lt. Gen Robert Cone said.
Fort Hood's 1st Cavalry Division, 15,000 troops, are serving in Iraq and the post has suffered the highest casualties there of any single military installation in the country. But yesterday their concern was for those they left behind. “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,” President Barack Obama said during a press conference.
