FORT HOOD, Texas (Nov. 5) -- A soldier opened fire at a U.S. Army base in Fort Hood on Thursday, unleashing a stream of gunfire that left 12 people dead and 31 wounded. Authorities killed the gunman, and apprehended two other soldiers suspected in what appears to be the worst mass shooting at a U.S. military base.
The shooting began around 1:30 p.m., Lt. Gen. Bob Cone said at a news conference. He said all the casualties took place at the base's Soldier Readiness Center, where soldiers who are about to be deployed or who are returning undergo medical screening.
"It's a terrible tragedy. It's stunning," Cone said.
A law enforcement official identified the shooting suspect 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. Hasan was an Army mental health professional, according to a source.
Cone said the soldier used two handguns in the attack. It was not clear if the gunman had stopped to reload.
A graduation ceremony for soldiers who finished college courses while deployed was going on in an auditorium at the Readiness Center at the time of the shooting, said Sgt. Rebekah Lampam, a Fort Hood spokeswoman.
Greg Schanepp, U.S. Rep. John Carter's regional director in Texas, was representing Carter at the graduation, said John Stone, a spokesman for Carter, whose district includes the Army post.
Schanepp was at the ceremony when a soldier who had been shot in the back came running toward him and alerted him of the shooting, Stone said. The soldier told Schanepp not to go in the direction of the shooter, he said. Stone said he believes Schanepp was in the theater.
The base was locked down after the shootings. The wounded were dispersed among hospitals in central Texas, Cone said.
The shootings on the Texas military base stirred memories of other recent mass shootings in the United States, including 13 dead at a New York immigrant center in March, 10 killed during a gunman's rampage across Alabama in March and 32 killed in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history at Virginia Tech in 2007.
Around the country, some bases stepped up security precautions, but no others were locked down.
"The bottom line for us is that we are increasing security at our gates because the threat hasn't yet been defined, and we're reminding our Marines to be vigilant in their areas of responsibility," said Capt. Rob Dolan, public affairs officer for the Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma, Ariz.
In Washington, President Barack Obama called the shooting "a horrific outburst of violence." He said it's a tragedy to lose a soldier overseas and even more horrifying when they come under fire at an Army base on American soil.
"We will make sure that we get answers to every single question about this horrible incident," the commander in chief said. "We are going to stay on this."
Covering 339 square miles, Fort Hood is the largest active duty armored post in the United States. Home to about 52,000 troops as of earlier this year, the sprawling base is located halfway between Austin and Waco.
About a mile from Fort Hood's east gate, Cynthia Thomas, director of Under the Hood Cafe, a local coffee shop and nonprofit military support center, was calling soldiers and friends on the post to make sure they're OK.
"It's chaotic," Thomas said, as a SWAT team just drove by. "They're just saying that they're under attack they don't know what's going on. ... The phones are jammed. Everybody is calling family members and friends. Soldiers are running around with M-16s."
Fort Hood officially opened on Sept. 18, 1942, and was named in honor of Gen. John Bell Hood. It has been continuously used for armored training and is charged with maintaining readiness for combat missions.
AP National Security Writer Anne Gearan and Associated Press writers Suzanne Gamboa, Lolita C. Baldor and Devlin Barrett in Washington, D.C., and Associated Press Writer Jay Root in Fort Worth, Associated Press Writers Linda Stewart Ball, Anabelle Garay and Andre Coe in Dallas contributed to this report.
According to KCRA the shooter's still alive
It was just on the news but thats's all they are saying.
He's alive
Yes, the Muslim murder is still alive.
One thing for sure we do not
One thing for sure we do not know why this man did this, and I think it will be some time before we find out. The information being given out is sketchy at best.
There are several things here that I think should be mentioned. The quick response and containment of the situation, that says a lot about the training of our military. The fact that so many that were there and uninjured performed first aid and that could have saved many lives, another kudo to the training of our military. I also think it should be mentioned that the very first responder was a female and even though she too was shot, she’ll be ok, and she still shot this nut case. Even though he was shot several times, he was kept alive, which is commendable, and under constant guard of the CID. Keeping him alive is probably the only way we will ever find out why this happened.
As far as whether or not he is a Muslim and whether or not that had anything to do with this has yet to be answered. If you think back to the Oklahoma City bombing, we at first thought that was done by Muslims. When we found out that it was a “Christian” white man did I hear or read anything about that Murdering Christian? No I didn’t and yet what his beliefs were was a motivating reason for what he did.
The last point I would make is about our Justice system. We have the very best Justice system in the world, bar none, so long as it is applied the way it was designed. Justice is blind and that’s the way it should be applied. Convict or acquit on the evidence, not on a persons’ name or religion or race or sex. If there is evidence to lock a person up then bring them up on charges and let our justice system decide. I understand that there were two civilians that were also wounded, and even though I am not a lawyer, I believe he can be triad in a civilian court for those two.
Charlie Lockett
good points Charlie
I think you made some excellent points.
We now know he is a Muslim who became more devout after the deaths of his parents, not uncommon in today's culture. Oftentimes a person returns to their religious roots more firmly when they have experienced a tragic loss.
However, I do think we need to acknowledge that we are discussing a religion that promotes a precise attitude to be taken towards 'non-believers'. This man could have snapped and simply become another gun-happy, kill freak...or he could have been carrying out something only HE came up with...or, like Timothy McVeigh, he could be part of a larger group of people bent on destruction.
One thing I do need to point out to you is this: I remember DISTINCTLY when the Oklahoma City Bombing happened that MANY references were made to 'right wing white supremist' groups by the main stream media. In fact, I don't remember any reference to Muslims at all that day but that could simply be my memory of the horror fading over time.
Let's not make the mistake we often do in this country: being so afraid of offending someone, we fail to properly investigate and thereby ignore the obvious.
Like you, I believe in our justice system (for the most part). Like you, I believe we need to get out of the way and let those trained in this type of work do their jobs.
My prayers are with those who have died, the wounded and the families of all the people - including the shooter.
LSK, you’re right the
LSK, you’re right the media did run amok with the right wing stuff, but they did not label him as a right wing Christian murderer. And the first thing I see is something about this persons’ religion. I know several Muslims and they do not promote this sort of thing.
I have not really ever studied Islam, so my knowledge is limited. Most of what I know is for sure one sided. And it’s human nature to interpose your own biases, we can’t help it. My Grandmother was a very wise old woman and she always told me “Don’t believe anything you hear and only half of what you see” and I try to do that very thing. I consider myself pretty open minded and I do not condemn any one for the way they believe. And I respect those beliefs whether I agree with them or not. Every monkey has to climb his own rope.
When you realize that the Oklahoma City bombing was not long after the first WTC bombing and so it was only natural that the first thing that was thought was that it was another Muslim bombing. For the first two days that’s what was assumed.
Anyway just my point of view. We do not know what motivated this nut to do what he did, and that’s why I’m glad he is still alive, so we can find out. Sometimes those people that listen to other people’s troubles day in and day out will go nutty, and that may well be the case here.
Charlie Lockett
Of course they're going to get to the bottom of this!
Why some are jumping on the religion angle without seeing some facts isn't suprising after they listen to bobbleheads...and yes the savage wienie was among the first to critize with out knowing anything.
Muslim shouldn't be a bad word any more than Christian should have been after Oklahoma City.
Agreed, Charlie
I just got finished reading a piece by a philosopher friend of mine comparing the basic differences between Islamic philosophy and Christian philosophy. The one thing that seems to differentiate the two is the emphasis on 'personal examination for error'.
It was interesting, and it made me very aware that the movement (in Britan and in this country) to allow Islamic communities to govern themselves under Sharia law could lead to some very serious problems.
I just want this guy investigated...and I want it to be thorough and I do not want our people doing the investigation to be stymied by worries over political correctness. We need to find out why this happened.
Yes, get out of the way and let the process take place
No one really knows what made this guy do the thing he did at this point. All we know for sure is it's not uncommon anymore. Many people spew the spew like he , yet will kill in a heartbeat if given the opportunity.
Look at how many people have been killed off over a period of time by "religious groups" and so-called Christians. It seems when they are not killing, allot of them are hating doesn't it?
Doesn't it seem odd this man is one of God's children from birth to death? Are the survivors, you, I and all the others partially responsible for these deaths too?
If it's true we are all God's children equally, then explain that one. What's the "moral truth"?
The last thing I worry about
The last thing I worry about is this mans’ religious convictions. They may be paramount in his mind set but then it should not condemn the whole faith. Many people “talk” to God and some do crazy things after that conversation. Some go out and kill their whole family, others blow up buildings.
I find it interesting that very little media coverage is being given to the Orlando shooting. Or to the other killings on military bases, including Fort Hood. I guess it’s more sensational if you can say this was done because the man was a Muslim, improves your ratings.
When I was at Fort Ord in basic training, we had a guy that wanted out, and he collected a bunch of Blank Ammunition, which can still be pretty deadly, and was going to start shooting everyone. Just went off the deep end. He did get out though.
Charlie Lockett
that's interesting, Charlie
I was under the impression (and it may have been an incorrect one) that someone today who wants out of the Military has more options. I thought it was linked to the idea of it being a volunteer force. However, it would be foolish to think the Major is the only person to choose violence as a way to get out of the military.
Again, we need to let those trained in investigation do their jobs. I do not outright reject the possibility that he was influenced by radical Islamic beliefs, nor do I embrace that notion. We do not know yet. We need to let the experts do their jobs.
It is way to soon to tell what posessed him.
Until we know all the facts it is just speculation on why he did what he did. Many times the press and powers that be have made assumptions that later prove to be wrong. Charlie sites a good example of how we should not jump to conclusions as to what was going through this mans mind. A school teacher once taught me to ASSUME makes an AS* out of U and ME.
Right on, Wilderj!
The point being made is Religion doesn't seem to be the core
of the problems people have. All religions are made of the good and the bad, how ever one want's to look at it.
For the most part it seems Religion is just a front label and has little to do with one's inner core morality. You find good and bad people in and out of Religious circles. That's kind of interesting isn't it.
Rigorous Honesty being the core
Should we round up all these Muslim`s
NO
LSK I’m happy to see that
LSK I’m happy to see that you included Italians, not many do and there were quite a few of them locked up just as there were Japanese. It wasn’t just Democrats that wanted all these people rounded up it was almost everyone in the United States. But like Bush Roosevelt disregarded the Constitution when that was done and Bush has done it again with Gitmo et al.
When I was in the Army there was still a draft, although I was a RA, which is someone that enlisted, or a volunteer. At that time most Americans believed it was everyone’s duty to serve their country. It was a matter of pride that you loved your country and the way of life we had here, that you were ready to defend it even with your life. We did not have people that were proud of their deferments and the fact that they felt no responsibility to this nation and the people in it. Seems like today we have a nation full of chicken hawks, and every one of them are proud of it. It’s beyond me, because I’m proud of the fact that I love my country enough to give back in some way. This guy was a nut case, wish I could remember his name, must be getting old. It may be easier now than it was back then, I don’t know. I do know that once they started fighting in Viet Nam it was almost impossible to get a bad discharge, that was not the case when I was in.
But I guess that’s a whole different matter than what we are talking about here. I do hope this guy comes to so they can get to the bottom of what motivated this. Like I say many people are motivated to do crazy things because they think god is telling them to do it.
Charlie lockett
Always the easy route by some
We collectively seem to believe that all Muslims are terrorists, we usued to think all Italians were in the Mob, that Irish had no worth, that Hispanics are all rapists or worse. Isn't it a wonderful world that we, on the whim of one man, want to take and jail all the other that "look like him".
Here's one, how many republicans does it take to bankrupt the country, maybe if we count Cheney, two. Conservatism has not done us well as a nation. Eisenhower saw it as he was leaving office and i am afraid that obama sees it now as President. We have a warrior mentality that seems to have no end. And here the tebaaggers can't even site the Pleadge of Allegiance and John Voight, the original drugstore cowboy, who cares what he thinks?
I too served as Charlie Lockett and made the four years the most that I could. I believe today that we should reintroduce the draft so young men and women can view what we have in America that is worth fighting for, then they may have perspectives quite different than the "Chicken hawks' that abound in this blog..
thank you, Charlie and Joe
My cousins' grandmother was forced from her home during WWII because she was not an American citizen. She was forced to moved to another town despite the fact that all four of my uncles served during that war, in combat.
While I am not downplaying the need for us as Americans to be aware of internal threats, the idea of 'rounding up all Muslims for their protection' just smacks of evil.
And, as a Catholic, I cannot condone fighting evil with evil.
Do you think we should round up all Muslim's now IDPNC?
Maybe some need to wait on deciding that until Limbaugh, Beck and Savage Weenie make a statement of what's the correct course of action?
I was wondering if Obama is tied in with this someway IDPNC?
Yes, Obama could be one as well, he is of the Muslims
One thing for sure
we do know is that the responsible in the Fort Hood incident is a Muslim. That is of course if all the media reports are correct. I agree that it is too early to make the assumption that it was the motivating factor. I think the reports that say he was shouting "allahu akbar" says a lot, but we need to let the investigation take its course. I do not believe that all Muslims are terrorists but we would have to be pretty dumb not to realize that most terrorists acts are carried out by Muslims. Based on the celebrations in Muslim countries after 9-11, I have no doubt they are celebrating again.
I'm not sure how some people come to the conclusion that Timothy McVeigh was a Christian. It seems that people who are anti-Christian or anti-religious like to make that claim. I don't remember any Christian church or organization ever supporting what he did. Timothy McVeigh was born into a Catholic family, but when asked about his religious beliefs after his arrest he claimed to be agnostic. Why when an incident like the Oklahoma bombing involves a white male do some people automatically brand him as a Christian right-wing extremist. He was a registered republican but claimed to be a libertarian. He was also a gun nut who hated the federal government.
IDPNC interestingly
We agree one only one fact, when children in Madrasseas funded by th State which provides us too much oil Saudia Arabia. they "hold hands' with President Bush then stab him and the Americal public in the back.
I come from a very Catholic education, there are some aspects to early Catholoicism I would not want to revsisit, yet in many ways does not stray too far from "dying for your faith."
MThis is not Bush/Obama this is extremes of Muslim faith, what should we expect from the children of Iraq and now Afghanisatan? Where are you Dunga Din? We should in my view make some deep decsions eleimnate the nuclear plants in Pakistan so the "nut cases' don't get hold of them. Who do we get to thank for this entire mideast fiasca...the British anarchists of 1948.
Those are very good points you make JoeMcCarthy
It's refreshing to see a Catholic so intelligent in their faith and so honest about religious history. Every religion seems to have it's problems at one time or another. It is what it is, because people are what they are. And all fall short at times.
You portray Catholicism in a way that draws people into the good aspects almost entirely due to your honesty and open mindness. In other words you are not filled to the brim with false pride, walk the talk and don't get offended ninetynine times a day.
Semper Fi. Joe,.... Wednesday is Veterans day and my employer is having a breakfast in celebration of all Veterans and us Vets get to sit at the head of the table. I think that is pretty nice to do. Glad you're back. I was worried about you, my friend.
Why is anyone paying attention to comments by Micheal Savage?
Most of the conservative comments I've read on the hive regarding the terrible Ft. Hood incident are straight from the mouth of Savage.
He's an intertainer for gods sake! Why some are 'captured" by his rants is beyond me. Of course the authorities are going to get to the bottom of what happened. No one wants a repeat of this!
No one is going to cover anything up. Not the military, not the feds, and not the media. It's the right wing extremists that are fanning theis orgy of hate towards Muslims.
Let the investigators to their jobs and we'll know soon enough.
why do we allow
Who is Micheal Savage ???
It's the conservative mantra.... He's a Muslim extremist
He's a Muslim Extremist!
When in danger or in doubt
run in circles scream and shout
He's a Muslim Extremist!...He's a Muslim Extremist!
When in danger or in doubt
run in circles scream and shout
He's a Muslim Extremist!...He's a Muslim Extremist!
When in danger or in doubt
run in circles scream and shout
He's a Muslim Extremist!...He's a Muslim Extremist!
Calling this guy a Muslim extremist is no different than saying
1. Negroes are inferior and need to use another bathroom, eat in a different restaurant, sit at the back of the bus and never date white women.
2. All Mexicans crossing the border are law breakers and suck the lifeblood out of White Americans.
3. All people that live in Airport District are druggies and trash.
4. White men can't jump.
5. The reason a lot of non-whites (especially Blacks and Hispanics) are in prison is they are not as law abiding as white people.
6. Mexicans bred the swing flu and everyone needs to stay away from taco trucks and spanish speaking businesses to be on the safe side.
For those that don't seem to get the point, I sure hope you do someday.
ITS OUT OF CONTROL !
Dan Heaton and his crew are on the attack! again stirring up racism.
He did not learn from the last suspension Dan. He needs another suspension.
Savage is
a entertainer who will pull down no less that 15 million this year.
Radio talk-show. Book deals.
15 Million. Man, that is alot of dough. Maybe that is the real reason he is so worried about the rich getting taxed. It's not about the common dude who makes 250K. It is all about him.
Like O'Riley, Beck, Cavuto. These guys make Many millions a year getting smucks to listen and buy what the advertisers are selling
The blind can see agian, Pain free backs, Make 6-figures from your home- part time!!!!!
Yeah. They are stand up guys. Making tons of money off of the freaking backs of the weak minded who buy into this kind of crap.
letmesaythis
You are right on the money.
Look for them to play this out for every dime in their pockets.
There is no proof.
Perfectly said Letmesaythis.
Limbaugh makes $10 mil a year and the other day said he was worth much more. And if one looks at what he is capable of bringing in on the revenue side, he probably is.
They need the weak minded, under informed and under achievers to survive.
Wayne
This is just one more ingredient for thier hate. These are the same guys who's mouth water every time there is a plane crash.
The President is at fault. Holy-Cow he is bi-racial, Holy shit, he is a Muslim, Oh Great Holy Cow, he is.. ummmm... give me a minute.... He has to be something to cause whatever it is!!!!!
Hey! What made that freak in Orlando FL unleash he weapon on his ex-coworkers from two years ago? Did Allah make him do it? Never served his country... last I heard.
Oh Holy crap!, his name is Rodrigues. There you have it. Must have been an illegal.
That would sound great, but guess what? He was born here. Just another undiagnosed mentally ill or mentally ill diagnosed and untreated. Take your pick at this point.
BKIV
If that is all they need, they have it right here in Modesto and Turlock.
Well, I can't say your wrong on that at all.
Letmesaythis. This is what the media has already started. It's amazing what they do and in the end it's harmful to all Americans.
Right-wing media respond to Fort Hood shooting by attacking American MuslimsRight-wing media figures have used the shooting at Fort Hood as an excuse to attack Islam and American Muslims in particular, with Debbie Schlussel, for example, urging readers to think of the alleged shooter "whenever you hear about how Muslims serve their country in the U.S. military." Additionally, commentators have blamed the shooting on "political correctness," with Fox News host Brian Kilmeade suggesting the implementation of "special debriefings" for Muslim American soldiers to prevent future attacks.
___________________________________________________________
WND falsely claimed alleged Fort Hood shooter "advised Obama transition"WorldNetDaily falsely claimed that alleged Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan "advised Obama transition" in the headline of an article by Jerome Corsi highlighting his listing as a "participant" in a report for the Homeland Security Policy Institute (HSPI) at George Washington University's Presidential Transition Task Force. However, Corsi himself acknowledges that there is no evidence that "the group played any formal role in the official Obama transition" -- indeed, the Task Force was initiated in April 2008. Moreover, while Hasan was listed as one of approximately 300 "Task Force Event Participants" in the report's appendix, HSPI has reportedly said he was not a "member" of the Task Force, and was listed because he RSVP'd for several of the group's open events.
___________________________________________________________
This is just the start. Give it a few more days and Limbaugh and all the rest will be saying Hasan and Obama have been best friends for quite sometime and share the same exact interests, religion, world views, ad-infinitum.
Letmesaythis
All so true, and look how the media snaps at every morsel of information as though there is something to it, its all fake!
TABLOID TELEVISION........IF IT BLEEDS IT READS!
They should get a lot of bleeding after this misinformation, children being beat, old women been cussed and young men and women being killed because they believe in the almighty God.
Now is the time to pray that nothing happens to the innocent muslims and East Indians.
Tomorrow's Monday maybe nothing will happen.
How about Fox News report all of these assaults tomorrow and feeling sorrow for the victims from the fort hood shootings and also all those killed because they are Muslim or East Indian.
BikeRack IV
To be fair the left wing media, were spinning stories also. They all took a bite out of this one. The lie about President Obama in cahoot's with the fort hood shooter was bazaar, hopefully those reporters get fired for starting that rumour.
I do beleive the left wingers do it to. The media is no longer
the media we all used to know. Pretty unprofessional nowadays. For both sides of the spectrum, gossip and smut news, brings in revenue. And that's all they really care about pretty much.
I say in the future
I'll back you up on that IDNPC!
Meanwhile, according to fox news, Hasan made the following entry on Facebook some 3 weeks ago:
"War is not about winning, it is about completing. We reached our peak when we put a man on the moon; we're a long way from that now. If it costs us thousands of lives and a hundred trillions of dollars and that is winning, what the Sam hill does losing look like? This is nuts; I'm outta here!"