Update on Fort Hood Shooting
Nov
6, 2009
By Army Public Affairs
 FORT
HOOD, Texas -- At approximately 1:30 p.m., Nov. 5, a
Soldier, Maj. Hasan Nidal Malik, allegedly fired shots
into the Soldiers Readiness Processing Center on Fort
Hood, resulting in 13 dead and numerous injured. As of
this morning, 27 remained hospitalized.
In an early morning press conference, Lt. Gen. Bob Cone,
III Corps and Fort Hood commander, confirmed that the
major was injured but still alive and in stable
condition. He is in custody.
Lt. Gen. Cone said the female officer first responder
who shot Hasan was injured at the scene but is in stable
condition at an area hospital.
The incident took place near a theater where 138 college
graduates were receiving their diplomas. The Soldiers in
the theater where able to gain control of the scene and
no one in the theater was hurt.
Cone said his number one priority was to care for the
wounded. Army and Federal Bureau of Investigation
officials are investigating the incident.
The victims were largely military. No children were
involved. The commander expressed his heartfelt
condolences the families and friends of the victims. |
Army Sends Support Teams to Hood to Aid Soldiers,
Families
Office of the Secretary of Defense Public Affairs
Story by Jim Garamone
Date: 11.06.2009
WASHINGTON - Resources to help those affected by the
tragedy at Fort Hood, Texas, are flowing to the post,
Army officials said Nov. 6.
Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hassan killed 13 Fort Hood
personnel and wounded another 30 during a shooting spree
at the post's Soldier-Family Readiness Center Nov. 5.
Hassan was wounded and is in custody.
Army Secretary John M. McHugh and Army Chief of Staff
Gen. George W. Casey Jr. are at the post conferring with
officials to determine the best way forward, said Maj.
Gen. Kevin Bergner, chief of Army public affairs.
Army Lt. Gen. Robert W. Cone, the commander of 3rd Corps
and Fort Hood, has requested additional capabilities to
help post personnel get through this tragedy. "We are
already generating capabilities to deal with the
consequences of the situation at Fort Hood," Bergner
told reporters this morning.
The service is sending 13 unit ministry teams to the
post. Each team has chaplains and chaplain assistants
who can support the spiritual needs of Soldiers,
families and civilians at Fort Hood, Bergner said.
The Army also is sending 35 family life consultants to
the base. "These are folks who specifically are trained
and equipped to deal with the stress that military
families confront - from the children to the spouses,"
the general explained.
The service also is sending 13 behavioral health
specialists from to Fort Hood from Brooke Army Medical
Center in San Antonio to help with grief counseling.
Four Operation Homecoming counselors, 20 more behavioral
health specialists and 17 critical-incident
stress-management personnel will deploy to Fort Hood
soon, Bergner said, and five combat stress teams are
moving to the post to augment teams already at the base.
Some of the additional teams will arrive Nov. 6-7, and
others will flow in later, the general said. "If more is
needed, we will provide it," he added. |
Gates Orders Moment of Silence for Fort Hood Victims
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 6, 2009
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has directed a moment
of silence throughout the Defense Department today to
honor the victims of yesterday's attack at Fort Hood,
Texas.
Twelve people were killed and 30 others were wounded
when Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hassan allegedly opened fire
in the post's Soldier Family Readiness Center. One of
the wounded victims died overnight, bringing the death
toll to 13. Malik was wounded and is in custody, Army
officials said.
The attack occurred at 1:34 p.m. CST yesterday, and
Defense Department personnel around the world will pause
and mark the moment of silence at that same time today,
Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said. For
example, those in the U.S. Eastern time zone will
observe the moment of silence at 2:34 p.m. local time,
while those on the West Coast will observe it at 11:34
a.m.
Gates is at the White House this morning discussing the
situation at Fort Hood with President Barack Obama,
Morrell said. Army Secretary John McHugh and Army Chief
of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr. are at Fort Hood
conferring with officials there. |
Army Major Declared Sole Suspect in Hood Shooting
By
Lisa Daniel
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 5, 2009 - U.S. Army Maj. Nidal Malik
Hasan is believed to be the lone shooter of some 43
people on Fort Hood, Texas, and he survived being shot
by a civilian police officer, the base commander said.
In a televised press briefing tonight, Army Lt Gen.
Robert Cone corrected earlier reports that said Hasan
and the police officer, who shot him several times, were
killed. Rather, he said, both are recovering at a nearby
hospital.
All but two of the victims are soldiers, Cone said.
Cone confirmed the identity of Hasan, reportedly a
psychiatrist on the base who was scheduled soon to
deploy, but would not say more about the suspect. Hasan
has been in the company of a Criminal Investigative
Division officer since the midday shooting, he said.
In answer to a reporter's question, Cone said of the
suspect, "I would say his death is not imminent." Hasan
is not yet talking to investigators.
Three other soldiers were initially detained for
questioning, but later released. After interviewing more
than 100 people at the scene, Cone said, investigators
determined there was only one shooter.
While investigators haven't ruled out terrorism in the
case, Cone said, the evidence doesn't suggest it.
The shooting began about 1:30 Central Time at Hood's
Soldier Family Readiness Center where Cone said soldiers
from multiple units were crowded into the center for a
scheduled weekly "make up time" for medical and dental
appointments.
Casualties were high due to the enclosed location, but
would have been much worse were it not for the training
and quick reaction of the soldiers, Cone said, adding
that he was on the scene quickly after the shooting
began.
"Suffice it to say... the American soldier did a great
job," he said.
From the reports of eyewitnesses, he said, the soldiers
- "many of them combat lifesavers" -- reacted
instantaneously, ripping off parts of their own clothing
to treat the wounded.
"I credit the first responders," he said. "God bless
these soldiers and Department of Army civilians. As
horrible as this was, it could have been much worse."
Some 600 people attending a college graduation of 138
soldiers in an adjacent building were unharmed because
first responders secured the building, he said.
The suspect is believed to have used two handguns in the
shooting, one a semiautomatic, Cone said. And in
responding to a question, "As a matter of practice, we
do not carry weapons on Fort Hood," he said. "This is
our home."
However, Cone said, "We will increase our security
presence here in the coming days."
The FBI is working the investigation, along with
military and other law enforcement, he said. The base
was on lockdown until 7 p.m., a base spokesman said.
For now, Cone said, Fort Hood officials are focused on
caring for the wounded, securing the base, notifying
victims' families and providing grief counseling. A
family hotline is available to obtain information at
254-288-7570.
Cone, who received a call from President Barack Obama
soon after the shooting, said he was grateful for an
outpouring of support. "It is truly overwhelming the
offers of support we have had from around the nation,"
the general said. "Tomorrow at Fort Hood, we return to
normalcy, schools will be open."
The Central Texas base is the military's largest,
covering some 340 square miles and is home to 40,000
soldiers. And, according to its Web site, is known as
"The Great Place" for its quality of life for soldiers
and their families. |
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Fort Hood Shooting
