At least 12 people were killed and 31 wounded in an attack Thursday at the Fort Hood Army base in Texas, the Army said.
President Obama called the shooting "a horrific outburst of violence" and said his thoughts and prayers were with the victims and families. He said his administration was working with law enforcement to get the details of what happened.
"It is horrifying that they would come under fire at a military base on American soil," Obama said.
The shootings occurred Thursday afternoon at a family readiness area at the base, according to Gary Tallman, an Army spokesman at the Pentagon. The Army closed its massive base covering 339 square miles — the largest active duty armored post in the United States.
REACTION: President Obama comments on tragedy
One soldier, a suspect, was killed and two soldiers were taken into custody, according to base spokesman Lieutenant-General Bob Cone. The Associated Press reported the shooting suspect is Maj. Malik Nadal Hasan. A law enforcement official who spoke to AP said Hasan, believed to be in his late 30s, was killed after opening fire at the base.
Hasan was a psychiatrist who was on his way to Iraq and "was disturbed" about his deployment, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson, R-Texas, told the PBS's NewsHour. The Army is trying to determine whether that is his birth name or a name he adopted.
After the shooting Fort Hood was "asking for EMTs" calling it a mass casualty event, said Hilary Shine, spokeswoman for the City of Killeen, where Fort Hood is located. "They are having issues getting on and off post because they've locked it down. Right now there are a lot of questions and confusion."
Fort Hood is set up like its own city with its own fire, police and medical facilities, Shine said. It has not asked for Killeen Police to assist, but the police are on call if needed, she said
President Obama called the shooting "a horrific outburst of violence" and said his thoughts and prayers were with the victims and families. He said his administration was working with law enforcement to get the details of what happened.
"It is horrifying that they would come under fire at a military base on American soil," Obama said.
The shootings occurred Thursday afternoon at a family readiness area at the base, according to Gary Tallman, an Army spokesman at the Pentagon. The Army closed its massive base covering 339 square miles — the largest active duty armored post in the United States.
REACTION: President Obama comments on tragedy
One soldier, a suspect, was killed and two soldiers were taken into custody, according to base spokesman Lieutenant-General Bob Cone. The Associated Press reported the shooting suspect is Maj. Malik Nadal Hasan. A law enforcement official who spoke to AP said Hasan, believed to be in his late 30s, was killed after opening fire at the base.
Hasan was a psychiatrist who was on his way to Iraq and "was disturbed" about his deployment, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson, R-Texas, told the PBS's NewsHour. The Army is trying to determine whether that is his birth name or a name he adopted.
After the shooting Fort Hood was "asking for EMTs" calling it a mass casualty event, said Hilary Shine, spokeswoman for the City of Killeen, where Fort Hood is located. "They are having issues getting on and off post because they've locked it down. Right now there are a lot of questions and confusion."
Fort Hood is set up like its own city with its own fire, police and medical facilities, Shine said. It has not asked for Killeen Police to assist, but the police are on call if needed, she said