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Fort Hood death toll now at 13

Friday, November 06, 2009

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FORT HOOD, Texas -- (11/06/09) -- UPDATE -- A local soldier and his wife who are stationed at Fort Hood are safe.

INJURED: Western Michigan soldier shot in arm at Fort Hood
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INTERACTIVE REPORT: Deadly shootings
BACKGROUND: Authorities had concerns about accused Fort Hood gunman

Late Thursday night, Emily Hurley called her parents to let them know that her husband, Pvt. Steven Hurley, was on duty at a remote location of Fort Hood, away from the shooting scene and is safe.

Ashley Saucedo, a native of Greenville, Michigan, tells WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids that her husband, Ray, was shot in the arm Thursday afternoon. She has been ordered not to reveal his condition or whereabouts.

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Story: Michigan GI hit in Fort Hood shootings

Contrary to earlier reports, the man believed to have killed 13 and injured 30 is alive and in custody, according to Army Lt. Gen. Robert Cone.

The accused shooter, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, is on a ventilator and unconscious in a hospital. The Army psychiatrist was shot four times after the rampage began around 1:30 p.m.

Hasan is in stable condition, as reported by Cone Thursday night, who added "death is not imminent."

The family of the suspected Fort Hood shooter says "the actions of their cousin are despicable and deplorable."

Kim Fuller, a spokeswoman for Nidal Malik Hasan's family says relatives in Northern Virginia are reaching out to law enforcement Friday to offer insight. Authorities have said Hasan is suspected in Thursday's mass killings at Fort Hood military base in Texas.

Hasan's family said in a statement Friday that his actions don't reflect how they were raised in the U.S. Military officials are still trying to piece together what may have pushed the 39-year-old Army psychiatrist, trained to help soldiers in distress, to turn on his comrades.

The top commander at Fort Hood is crediting a civilian police officer for stopping the shooting rampage that killed 13 people at the Texas post.

Lt. Gen. Bob Cone said Friday morning that Sgt. Kimberly Munley and her partner responded within three minutes of reported gunfire Thursday afternoon. Cone said Munley shot the gunman four times despite being shot herself.

Military officials said Munley was in stable condition Friday.

Cone said, "It was an amazing and an aggressive performance by this police officer."

Cone also said he was inspired by a woman who helped carry a wounded victim and used her blouse as a tourniquet, then realized she'd been shot in the hip.

Authorities had reported that a female civilian police officer had been killed as well. That report was also incorrect.

According to Cone, the police officer was shot and taken to an undisclosed hospital where she underwent surgery.

Her condition is unknown.

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison says the Army major accused of the shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, was about to deploy overseas.

Hutchison says she was told about the upcoming deployment by generals based at Fort Hood. But it was unclear if he was headed to Iraq or Afghanistan and exactly when he was scheduled to leave.

Military officials in Washington say the suspected shooter was a psychiatrist at Walter Reed Army Medical Center for six years before being transferred to the Texas base in July.

The soldier is accused of opening fire on the base on Thursday in a shooting that left 12 people dead and 31 wounded.

The Army says two other people were taken into custody, but have since been released.

The Web site of the base in central Texas posted an alert that says, "Effective immediately Fort Hood is closed." The Web site said that units at the base were ordered to account for all personnel.

The site said, "This is not a Drill. It is an Emergency Situation."

The Army confirms that 12 have been killed and 31 wounded.

Fort Hood is located halfway between Austin and Waco.