(Vatican Radio) Four people are dead and 16 others are injured after a soldier opened
fire on his fellow soldiers at the U.S. base at Fort Hood, Texas.
U.S. Lieut.
General Mark Milley described what happened, saying that the base went immediately
into lock-down after the soldier began firing shots at individuals. He told reporters
first responders were at the scene within 15 minutes of the start of the incident
and that the shooter died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
U.S. President
Barack Obama expressed his condolences to the victims of this latest shooting.
“We’re
heartbroken by the fact that something like this might have happened again,” he said
at a press conference, adding that he was still awaiting more facts on the incident.
“But for now I would just hope that everyone across the country is keeping
the families and the community of Fort Hood in our thoughts and in our prayers,” Obama
said.
Ft. Hood was the scene, four and a half years ago, of another killing
spree perpetrated by U.S. Army Major Nidal Hassan, in which 13 soldiers preparing
to deploy to Afghanistan were killed and 30 others were injured.