12 Killed in Shootout at US Army Base

Fort Hood near Killeen, Texas, is the largest US military base in the world, and can house at least 40,000 personnel at any given time. Built in 1942, it also houses two museums and a lake. Personnel who are to be deployed on a mission (like Iraq and Afghanistan) come there to the Soldier Readiness Center, where they go through medical screening, besides completing other related formalities.

It is believed that the gunman, Major Nidal Malik Hasan, was not happy at the idea of being deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq. He opened fire indiscriminately when soldiers were filling out papers to be processed at the readiness facility. Eventually, he was overpowered, but by that time he had already killed 12 and wounded more than 30 personnel. He too got wounded and has been taken into custody. The FBI is already at the base to investigate the matter and to check Major Hasan's complete records.

Major Hasan is supposedly a psychiatrist at the Darnall Army Medical Center at Fort Hood. Previously, he was at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Not much is known about this man, but FBI officials would surely get to the bottom of the story. President Barack Obama commented soon after the incident. The President said, "My immediate thoughts and prayers are with the wounded and with the families of the fallen, and with those who live and serve at Fort Hood. These are men and women who have risked their lives to protect ours. It's difficult enough when we lose these brave men in battles overseas. It's horrifying that they should come under fire in an army base on American soil".