Fort Hood, a United States Army Base located in Texas, is home to thousands of soldiers, retirees, and their families. Since its open on Sept. 18, 1942, this prestigious base has maintained safety and security until a terrible and unexpected event occurred on Nov. 5, 2009. Thirteen people were killed and 30 injured as Army Major and psychiatrist, Nidal Malik Hasan, supposedly opened fire at one of Fort Hood's military processing centers at 1:30 p.m., as reported by CNN.
Fort Hood Army Base, Texas
ABC News reporter, Huma Khan, stated that Fort Hood Army Base spans 340 miles and is the largest military base in the United States. There are around 5,000 military families that live on the base and close to 15,000 soldiers from the base are currently deployed in Iraq. Since the Iraq war began, Fort Hood has suffered the most loses out of all U.S. military bases, with 483 soldiers who lost their lives overseas.
Nidal Malik Hasan - US Army Major and Psychiatrist
As reported by CNN, Nidal Malik Hasan is a United States citizen of Jordanian descent. A graduate of Virginia Tech, Hasan was recently reassigned from Washington's Walter Reed Army Medical Center to practice psychiatry at Darnall Army Medical Center at Fort Hood. ABC News reports that in 2009 "he completed a fellowship in Disaster and Preventative Psychiatry at the Center for Traumatic Stress" located at Fort Hood.
Fort Hood Shooting Witness Claims
On Thursday, November 5, 2009, Fort Hood experienced a tragic event as Major Hasan allegedly opened fire on a group of young soldiers at a military processing center. ABC's Chris Cuomo, Emily Friedman, Sarah Netter, and Richard Esposito report that witnesses claim Hasan declared "Allahu Akbar!," meaning "God is Great" in Arabic, right before the shooting that President Obama calls a "horrific outburst of violence." According to ABC News, Sergeant Salvadore Sanchez stated that Hasan "was sitting down and just stood up out of nowhere and started shooting." ABC also reports that Sanchez recalled hearing many people yelling for someone to call 911 and "all kinds of cries for help." Lt. General Robert Cone told "Good Morning America" that Hasan was deliberate in his actions, seemed calm, and was shooting people more than once if he could.
Deaths and Wounded of Fort Hood Shooting
The horrific shooting rampage that occurred at Fort Hood led to 13 deaths, including 12 soldiers and one civilian. It has been reported that 30 were injured and received treatment. CNN reports that many of the wounded were helping those around them before helping themselves during the attack. The shooting came to an end when Hasan was shot four times by Officer Kimberly Munley. When the news of this event was first announced, Hasan was thought dead. It was then reported that suspect Hasan survived after being shot and was immediately put into custody. FBI arrived at Fort Hood shortly after the event for in-depth investigation. Support systems were put into place at Fort Hood on a federal, state, and community level in order for security to be heightened, treatment of the victims, and counseling for those who suffered loss.
Hasan's Possible Motives
There are no conclusive answers about why this shooting took place, but there have been many speculations. ABC reported that Hasan had been dealing with harassment due to his Middle Eastern descent, being called a "camel jockey" by fellow soldiers. Hasan was scheduled to deploy to Iraq for the first time and was supposedly dealing with anxiety and stress related to that upcoming event. Hasan's family has told reporters and investigators that Hasan was extremely unhappy and had actually hired a lawyer to help him get out of the Armed Forces.
References / Sources:
CNN News Online, Officials: Fort Hood Shooting Suspect Alive; 12 Dead. Reported on November 6, 2009.
Good Morning America on abcnews.com. Fort Hood Shooter Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan Calm, Methodical During Massacre, ABC News reporters: Huma Khan, Chris Cuomo, Emily Friedman, Sarah Netter, and Richard Esposito. Reported on November 6, 2009.
ABC News Online, Nidal Malik Hasan, Suspected Fort Hood Shooter, Was Called "Camel Jockey" by Brian Ross, Joseph Rhee, Anna Schecter, Avni Patel, Ethan Nelson, and Desiree Adib. Reported on November 6, 2009.
Fort Hood Official website, Welcome to Fort Hood. Information provided by United States Armed Forces.
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