Shooting at Fort Hood
By Garance Franke-Ruta
9:15 p.m. Hasan alive, death toll at 12
Army Lt. Gen. Robert Cone said at a news conference in Fort Hood that the suspected shooter, Maj. Hasan, remains alive, hospitalized in stable condition and in custody. The death toll remains 12 slain and 31 injured.
8:59 p.m., 9:27 p.m. AP: Internet postings drew attention
The Associated Post is reporting that the "Fort Hood suspect drew attention of authorities 6 mos. ago for Internet posts." Citing a federal law enforcement official, the AP also says the writings were never conclusively linked to him and "an official investigation was not opened."
The name is not uncommon: On Facebook there are three Nidal Hasans and more than 30 Malik Hasans.
One Web post the AP reports authorities reviewed came from a Nidal Hasan who compared the acts of an American solider throwing himself on a grenade to save his fellow soldiers to the acts of suicide bombers: "To say that this soldier committed suicide is inappropriate. Its more appropriate to say he is a brave hero that sacrificed his life for a more noble cause. Scholars have paralled this to suicide bombers whose intention, by sacrificing their lives, is to help save Muslims by killing enemy soldiers. If one suicide bomber can kill 100 enemy soldiers because they were caught off guard that would be considered a strategic victory. ... You can call them crazy i you want but their act was not one of suicide that is despised by Islam."
8:01 p.m. Video from inside Fort Hood
The Department of Defense has released video taken inside Fort Hood in Texas as authorities moved in on the shooter or shooters there. The Army says at least 12 people were killed and more than 30 wounded at the base. (Video/Department of Defense/The Associated Press)
7:59 p.m. Former colleague says Hasan upset about Afghanistan war
Col. Terry Lee, who says he worked with Major Nidal Malik Hasan, spoke with FOX News Channel's Shepard Smith on Fox New Channel's "Fox Report" about the alleged gunman's views.
"He said, maybe the Muslims should stand up and fight against the aggressor, at first we thought he was talking about how Muslims should stand up and help the armed forces in Iraq and in Afghanistan, but apparently that wasn't the case," Col. Lee said. "He would make comments to other individuals about how we should not be in the war in the first place."
"He was hoping that President Obama would pull troops out..." Lee said. "When things weren't going that way he became more agitated, more frustrated with the conflicts over there...he made his views well known about how he felt about the US involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan."
7:42 p.m. Secretary Gates issues statement
"I am deeply saddened by the tragic events today at Fort Hood," said Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates in an evening statement. "My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the fallen, the wounded, and all those touched by this incident. There is little we can say at this point to alleviate the pain or answer the many questions this event raises, but I can pledge that the Department of Defense will do everything in its power to help the Fort Hood community get through these difficult times."
7:15 p.m. Suspect pictured at Center for Traumatic Stress
Nidal Hasan pictured at the Center for Traumatic Stress. A second page on the group's Web site, which is overloaded, describes him as having his primary practice at Fort Hood, Texas. (Screen capture/Anna Uhls/The Washington Post)
7:03 Reports from the local news stations
You can follow reports Central Texas and Army news sources tweeting from the ground in Killeen on the shooting through this Twitter list compiled by The Post: http://twitter.com/#list/washingtonpost/forthood
6:52 p.m. Adm. Mullen Tweets
Adm. Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, tweets from @thejointstaff: "Deeply saddened by the shooting @ Fort Hood. My thoughts & prayers w/ wounded, families of those killed, & all @ Ft. Hood.'
6:40 p.m. Fort Hood congressman offers condolences
The office of Rep. John Carter (R), whose district includes Fort Hood, has been in touch with base officials to stay updated on the situation, reports The Post's Ben Pershing.
"We offer up our sincerest condolences to the soldiers and their families," Carter said. "I know this is a great loss for the Fort Hood family and we're praying for all those involved."
6:29 p.m. Biden says the wounded are in his prayers
"Jill and I join the President and Michelle in expressing our sympathies to the families of the brave soldiers who fell today," vice president Biden said in a statement. "We are all praying for those who were wounded and hoping for their full and speedy recovery. Our thoughts and prayers are also with the entire Fort Hood community as they deal with this senseless tragedy."
6:26 p.m. U.S. Army tweeting updates on the shooting
The official U.S. Army Twitter feed is providing updates on the shooting.
People at Fort Hood can list themselves as being safe and sounds on a site being maintained by the American Red Cross, diastersafe, the Army notes, and also check for the names of loved ones there.
The main gate at the U.S. Army post at Fort Hood, Texas is pictured in
this undated photograph, obtained on November 5, 2009. At least seven
people were killed and 12 wounded in a shooting at the Fort Hood U.S.
Army base on Thursday, local media reported. (REUTERS/III Corps Public
Affairs/U.S. Army/Handout)
6:15 p.m. Alleged gunman identified as Major Nidal Malik Hasan
The suspected shooter has been identified as as U.S. Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan, according to one federal source, who spoke anonymously to The Post's Carrie Johnson because the probe is unfolding.
6:06 p.m. The Fort Carson cluster
Fort Hood is the largest military installation in the country, but until Thursday afternoon Fort Carson, Colo., was the base that had drawn most public attention for violent acts committed by troops.
After eight homicides in 12 months were allegedly committed by six soldiers from units at Fort Carson, the U.S. Army launched a task force in Oct. 2008 to investigate the "apparent clustering of violent behavior at Fort Carson, Colorado."
In July, 2009, the Army released its findings (PDF). The Colorado Springs Gazette followed up with a special series on violence by soldiers stationed at the base that characterized the findings as: "Most Fort Carson soldiers who came home from war to commit murder had lives that were broken by combat stress, mental illness and drug and alcohol problems."
The series can be read here:
• "Fort Carson report: Combat stress contributed to soldiers' crimes back home"
• "Casualties of War, Part I: The hell of war comes home"
• "Casualties of War, Part II: Warning signs"
November 5, 2009; 6:08 PM ET
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Posted by: TSOL | November 5, 2009 11:14 PM
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The linked studies are all of combat stress-related violence. What do they have to do with a murder spree committed by an officer who had never seen combat and is a psychiatrist? Perhaps studies of violence committed by mental health professionals would be more relevant to the case at hand but less useful in the political narrative the Post is interested in promulgating.