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Politics

Shooter, Three Military Killed in Fort Hood Attack; 16 Injured

Not believed to be terrorism; soldier was getting treatment for mental health issues

Matthew Feeney and Scott Shackford | 4.2.2014 10:57 PM

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*This post has been updated since publication. 

Here's the latest: 

At 9:45 p.m. Central time, Lt. Gen. Mark Milley of Fort Hood offered a press conference. Here are the details he provided.

The shooting began at 4 p.m. from a single soldier in a medical brigade area. First responders reacted within 15 minutes. The responders engaged with the soldier who ultimately turned his gun on himself and killed himself. The soldier killed three and wounded 16 before killing himself. All victims were in the military. They do not believe the incident had any connection to terrorism but are still investigating. The weapon was a .45-caliber Smith and Wesson handgun. The weapon was not registered on base. Milley declined to reveal the soldier's name, as next of kin have not been informed yet. He said the soldier was in treatment for depression and anxiety. He was undergoing a process to determine whether he had post-traumatic stress disorder but was not yet diagnosed.

Previously in the evening:

KCENTV, a local news station near Fort Hood, Texas, is reporting 8 injuries, 4 of which are criticial, and the shooter is reportedly dead. A live statement from Fort Hood officials is being prepared.

There are multiple unconfirmed reports that the shooter has killed himself and was wearing a uniform.

CBS has identified the shooting suspect as Ivan Lopez, 34, and said sources told the shooting is a result of a "soldier dispute." Officials are now saying four are dead, and that includes the shooter.

President Barack Obama spoke briefly about the incident: 

"We're following it closely," Obama told members of the White House press corps, according to a pool report. "The situation is fluid right now … I want to just assure all of us we are going to get to the bottom of exactly what happened."

He continued, "We're heartbroken something like this might have happened again."

A press conference at Fort Hood has been planned but keeps getting pushed back.

At 9 p.m. central time, the lockdown at Fort Hood was lifted.

Earlier coverage:

There is an active shooter incident at the Fort Hood Army base in Texas.

Watch the live feed from KCENTV.com here.

Follow Fort Hood's Twitter feed here.

The tweet asking people to shelter in place below:

NBC is reporting that "As many as eight people may be injured, and there may have been two shooters":

Multiple people have been injured and the search for the gunman is underway after a shooting at the Fort Hood Army post Wednesday afternoon.

Reports of an active shooter triggered a lockdown at Fort Hood, with local sheriff's deputies and the FBI immediately responding.

Just after 5 p.m. local time, the base tweeted that all personnel were being asked to shelter in place, close doors and stay away from windows.

As many as eight people may be injured, and there may have been two shooters, NBC News reported. One of those is believed to be "down," while the second is believed to be at-large.

Fort Hood confirmed that a shooting occurred at the base, though the number of people injured and the severity of their injuries has not been confirmed.

A post spokesman has confirmed that one person is dead. 

CNN is reporting that "according to multiple U.S. officials" a shooter is dead. 

Start your day with Reason. Get a daily brief of the most important stories and trends every weekday morning when you subscribe to Reason Roundup.

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NEXT: Tonight on The Independents: Red Meat Wednesday, With Nick Gillespie, Johan Norberg, John Stossel, and Two Minutes Hate!

Matthew Feeney is a policy analyst at the Cato Institute.

Scott Shackford is a policy research editor at Reason Foundation.

PoliticsCrime
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  1. Sudden   11 years ago

    I blame the Kochs for this, the Chilean earthquake, and Clayton Kershaw’s DL stint.

  2. Erasmus vs. Luther   11 years ago

    And up comes the regurgitated bile of the gun control debate.

    1. wwhorton   11 years ago

      I was just thinking that somehow this will find its way into a gun control argument.

      1. DH   11 years ago

        I don’t remember there being a big push after the last base shooting. Of course he didn’t have a scary black gun, so the grabbers didn’t have a good whipping boy other than “GUNZ R DANGERUZ”

    2. XM   11 years ago

      The guy was an enlisted soldier, and the handgun (which he legally owns, I assume)is not an AR. Gun control doesn’t seem to apply here.

      I wouldn’t be surprised if the guy had some sort of manifesto. If so, then he will get the Dorner treatment from the media. No rallying cry for gun control, got psychoanalysis of man damaged by society and injustice.

      If the shooter’s not white, cries for gun control is a bit muted.

      1. XM   11 years ago

        *but

  3. Dweebston   11 years ago

    What is this place, bizarro h&r? It looks the same, but feels all wrong.

  4. Sevo   11 years ago

    Matthew,
    If you would be do kind as to leave the earlier reports and simply date-stamp them when you add the date-stamped updates, we’d have a better idea of the progress of the reports.

    1. Scott S.   11 years ago

      It’s me updating now actually. We are still trying to hammer out the best way to present hard-breaking news like this. We tried that format before and it starts looking really ugly and just as confusing when you start getting lots of updates. I’m trying to figure out a middle ground.

      1. Sevo   11 years ago

        Scott,
        I saw that last week or so and liked it. I can understand it offending the eye of a graphic designer, but, damn! I knew what was the latest and what had been superseded.

      2. Sevo   11 years ago

        Thanks for the time on the update, Scott.

  5. american socialist   11 years ago

    Yay! Another mass killing in this nation of gun toting basket cases. Can we talk about how great it is to be an American now?

    GUNS DON’T KILL PEOPLE, PEOPLE DO!

    1. Vulgar Madman   11 years ago

      But trains do kill people! Now go and lie in front of one.

    2. Sevo   11 years ago

      american socialist|4.2.14 @ 11:07PM|#
      “Yay! Another mass killing in this nation of gun toting basket cases. Can we talk about how great it is to be an American now?”

      Yes, asshole, we can.
      BTW, would you care to explain how this tragedy happened in a government-controlled area where no one except the cops is allowed to have a gun?
      I’d just love to see the contortions required to explain that, even from a fuckwit like you who can barely remember to breathe.

      1. american socialist   11 years ago

        I was wondering how many minutes it would take some moron libertarian to tell me that the problem with mass shootings in a country saturated with firearms is that we should just have more high caliber weapons– presumably to initiate a cross-fire in a public place.

        Relax, mr. 100 million deaths, I’m all for the right of right-wing dimwits to blow their heads off.

        1. DH   11 years ago

          No, we need larger capacity magazines or “clips” as you lefties call them. Jeez you guys can’t get anything right.

        2. Sevo   11 years ago

          american socialist|4.2.14 @ 11:54PM|#
          “I was wondering how many minutes it would take some moron libertarian to tell me that the problem with mass shootings in a country saturated with firearms is that we should just have more high caliber weapons– presumably to initiate a cross-fire in a public place.”
          And I was waiting for some asshole ignoramus to make up a whole new strawman t beat upon, and you, asshole, did so in 15 minutes! Congratulations! It usually takes longer than that to prove you can’t read!

          “Relax, mr. 100 million deaths, I’m all for the right of right-wing dimwits to blow their heads off.”
          Yeah, shitpile, you’re just thrilled with lefty assholes like you offing 100 million. We got it.

          1. american socialist   11 years ago

            I can’t even figure out what your 1st paragraph means. Maybe you should bang on your keyboard a little slower.

            1. sasob   11 years ago

              Maybe you should take a remedial reading comprehension course.

        3. politicsbyothermeans   11 years ago

          Define:
          -high caliber
          -saturated

          Without google you wouldn’t even be able to take a stab at what a “high caliber” was. All you’re doing is parroting leftie talking points.

          Again, without the help of google, I wonder if you could make an even remotely correct guess at the number of firearms actually owned in this country. You know, just to see if could make a vaguely honest attempt to defend “saturation” and “nation of gun toting basket cases.”

  6. XM   11 years ago

    Is it *bleeping* true that military bases are (still) a gun free zone?

    I don’t get it. I just don’t get it at all. Even gun hating Hollywood people have armed body guards.

    1. politicsbyothermeans   11 years ago

      Yes, it is basically true. You can have personally owned firearms on most installations but they need to be registered and generally remain in your personal quarters. You most certainly CAN’T carry a personally owned firearm while in uniform.

      Admittedly, there are legitimate reasons why our particular mode of civil military relations generally proscribes armed American troops on our own soil. That said, it bugs the shit out of me that we’ll trust 18 year olds with machineguns in politically sensitive areas but can’t seem to trust the very same people with a personally owned pistol back in the States.

  7. american socialist   11 years ago

    I know I’m in the right place for arguments about how the real problem with violence in America is that everyone should be equipped with a concealed bazooka on their lapel. We need to model our gun control laws on the successful experiment being carried out in Mogadishu.

    1. XM   11 years ago

      The military base was gun free zone. As was the schools that these deranged shooter target.

      What we need to do is deport psycho leftards to Venezuela. Most of the shooters are flaming left wingers or democrats.

      1. american socialist   11 years ago

        Ridiculous. Ascribing political motivations to a crazy person a few hours removed from a mass shooting is offensive.

        1. Sevo   11 years ago

          american socialist|4.2.14 @ 11:38PM|#
          “Ridiculous. Ascribing political motivations to a crazy person a few hours removed from a mass shooting is offensive.”

          And self-awareness is lost on our resident defender of mass murder.

        2. politicsbyothermeans   11 years ago

          Yet you feel comfortable painting an entire group of people as wanting everyone to have “a concealed bazooka on their lapel.”

          What was that you said? Ridiculous?

    2. DH   11 years ago

      Please, as if I would only carry a bazooka. I prefer the concealed M-29 Davy Crockett Weapon System. Makes a bigger boom.

      1. TheSpiteHouse   11 years ago

        +absurd ordnance reference props

    3. politicsbyothermeans   11 years ago

      “concealed bazooka on their lapel”

      Holy fuck you’re stupid. I’ll bet you don’t even understand why that makes you sound so stupid, do you?

  8. american socialist   11 years ago

    I think it’s so kewl that crazy people off their anti-psychotic medications can go out to the Walmart and get a Smith & Wesson. Awesome! http://www.walmart.com/cp/Fire…..n/1088608. Do they roll back their prices when the insane purchase their ammunition?

    1. Vulgar Madman   11 years ago

      Crazy people actually are allowed to go into voting booths and vote for socialists/fascists.

    2. DH   11 years ago

      No silly, the smiley face rolls back the prices!!!!

    3. Vulgar Madman   11 years ago

      You pricks sure hate it that the kulaks in this country have guns.

      1. american socialist   11 years ago

        Nah… My problems with this dumb and dumber country are much deeper than it’s symptomatic levels of shocking violence.

        1. politicsbyothermeans   11 years ago

          As opposed to which unarmed socialist countries with demonstrably lower rates of violent crime?

          1. DH   11 years ago

            I think you meant “higher” rates.

    4. Sevo   11 years ago

      american socialist|4.2.14 @ 11:45PM|#
      “I think it’s so kewl that crazy people off their anti-psychotic medications can go out to the Walmart and get a Smith & Wesson. Awesome!”

      Yeah, asshole, you much prefer the government to do you killing for you. That way you can convince ignorant assholes like yourself that you didn’t have anything to do with it.

      1. american socialist   11 years ago

        Should I post my list of things I’ve learned from libertarians here or further down the comment thread? If I recall correctly I’m relearning lessons 6 and 7 from you. Thanks a lot, Defender of Kulaks.

        1. Sevo   11 years ago

          american socialist|4.3.14 @ 1:07AM|#
          “Should I post my list of things I’ve learned from libertarians here or further down the comment thread? If I recall correctly I’m relearning lessons 6 and 7 from you. Thanks a lot, Defender of Kulaks.”

          Yeah, asshole, go ahead an post that list of lies again. It’s always good for amusement.

  9. american socialist   11 years ago

    This country rawks and needs more people voting for politicians on the basis of how much up the NRA’s asshole they can get. OBAMA AND HIS SOCIALIST, BLACK NATIONALISTS ALLIES ARE COMING FOR YOUR GUNS!!!

    U.S. Rank on healthcare: 37, between Costa Rica and Slovenia
    U.S. Rank of life expectancy: 35 between Costa Rica and Chile
    Murder Rate in Western Europe: 1.0/100,000
    Murder Rate in U.S.: 4.8/100,000

    If you want to know why this country’s citizens keep shooting up their neighbors and elementary schools look, firstly, at its eroding culture and bought-and-paid-for politics and, secondly, at its permissive gun law policies.

    1. politicsbyothermeans   11 years ago

      I had no idea so many logical fallacies could be packed into a single post.

    2. XM   11 years ago

      But for some reason, the US has 10 times the population of these socialist paradises, and many times the wealth and basic items.

      Murder rate and rape are certifiably higher in Asia and Europe, and not all countries have the same definition of “violent” crimes.

  10. Art Stone   11 years ago

    Shooter is IDed. He has a Spanish surname, served in Afghanistan in Barack Obama’s “smart” war in 2011 and was being treated by the medical unit for alleged mental health issues

    1. TheSpiteHouse   11 years ago

      I was under the “assumption” that the shooter had mental health issues.

  11. politicsbyothermeans   11 years ago

    Wonder why the shooter waited until he wasn’t around a bunch of people with pistols and rifles to shoot a bunch of shit up.

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