Maj. Malik Nadal Hasan, a Muslim-American who recently transferred from Walter Reed Medical Center to Fort Hood, went on a rampage yesterday. Hasan left 13 dead and dozens wounded. Only one of the victims was a civilian and the rest were members of the US military.
Adding to the shock of this event is the fact that Fort Hood personnel other than civilian police don’t typically carry weapons. WSJ reports quoted military officials as “not[ing] that security personnel conduct random car checks in search of guns.”
N.Y. Daily News reports that Hasan cried “Allahu Akbar” (God is great in Arabic) just as he began his shooting. At least one witness confirmed this fact, according to Col. John Rossi. The article reports that the shooting did not seem to be politically motivated or connected to terrorism. Instead, officials are saying that Hasan was “angry about being sent to war and tried to get his orders changed.”
Sgt. Kimberly Munley, a civilian police officer, ended Hasan’s spree after engaging in a heavy gun battle. The N.Y Daily News reports that Sgt. Munley who,”pump[ed] four bullets into the crazed gunman even though she was wounded, is known for her toughness . . . ” Sgt. Munley is in stable condition, recovering from wounds sustained in the battle with Hasan.