Soldier Kills Fellow Troops At US Army Base

Soldier Kills Fellow Troops At US Army Base
Adam Arnold, Sky News Online

At least 12 people have been shot dead and 31 others wounded after a US soldier went on the rampage at a military base in Texas.

The soldier, named Hassan Malik, was killed on site after opening fire with two handguns at the massive Fort Hood complex in Killeen.

Two other soldiers are being held as suspects following the shooting.

It took place at the Soldier Readiness Centre, where troops preparing for overseas deployment were getting last-minute medical checkups.

The two suspects were detained at a nearby building.

Eleven of the victims were troops, while a civilian police officer was also killed.

The injured are being treated in local hospitals in Texas.

Speaking about the shooting, President Obama called it a "horrific outburst of violence".

He promised the government would get "answers to every single question" and said his thoughts and prayers were with the wounded and families of the dead.

Mr Obama said it was a tragedy to lose a soldier overseas and even more horrifying when they come under fire at an army base on US soil.



File picture of soldiers training at Fort Hood


Fort Hood, which is currently home to about 35,000 soldiers, is currently in lockdown mode.

Base spokesman Lieutenant-General Bob Cone described it was "a terrible tragedy, stunning."

He said: "At this time, we are looking at 12 dead and 31 wounded. They are dispersed among the local hospitals in this area in Texas."

He added: "The shooter was killed. He was a soldier. We since then have apprehended two additional soldiers who are suspects."

A US Army official in Washington said the incident took place shortly before a scheduled graduation event at the base.

Local congressman John Carter said: "I had a man on the scene, who is my regional director and former chaplin at Fort Hood, waiting to go to a graduation ceremony.

"A soldier came running up to him saying, 'sir, don't go over there. Somebody is shooting over there'.

"When the soldier ran by him, he saw the soldier didn't know it, but he was wounded.

"So, he went into the building and they stopped him, because he had been shot. He heard small arms and some rifle fire while he was there."

Fort Hood is the largest US military base in the world and has been rehabilitating many soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome, Mr Carter added.

Wars are senseless.