13 dead, 30 wounded in Fort Hood rampage

(AP) - An Army psychiatrist suspected ofopening fire on fellow soldiers at Fort Hood cleaned out hisapartment and left a phone message saying goodbye to a friend inthe days before the rampage that left

News 12 Staff

Nov 6, 2009, 11:19 PM

Updated 5,285 days ago

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13 dead, 30 wounded in Fort Hood rampage
(AP) - An Army psychiatrist suspected ofopening fire on fellow soldiers at Fort Hood cleaned out hisapartment and left a phone message saying goodbye to a friend inthe days before the rampage that left 13 people dead, neighborssaid Friday.
One neighbor, Patricia Villa, said Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan cameover to her apartment Wednesday and Thursday and offered her someitems, including a new Quran, saying he was going to be deployed onFriday.
Authorities said the 39-year-old Hasan went on a shooting spreelater Thursday at the sprawling Texas post. He was among 30 peoplewounded in the rampage and remained hospitalized Friday in a coma,attached to a ventilator. All but two of the injured were stillhospitalized; all were in stable condition.
Investigators were trying to piece together how and why Hasanallegedly gunned down his comrades in one of the worst massshootings ever on an American military base. Though his motivewasn't known, some who knew Hasan said he may have been strugglingwith a pending deployment to Afghanistan and faced pressure in hiswork with distressed soldiers.
Hasan's family said in a statement Friday that his allegedactions were "despicable and deplorable" and don't reflect howthe family was raised.
President Barack Obama ordered the flags at the White House andother federal buildings be at half-staff and urged people not todraw conclusions while authorities investigate.
"We don't know all the answers yet. And I would caution againstjumping to conclusions until we have all the facts," Obama said ina statement.
A moment of silence was held Friday afternoon at Fort Hood andother U.S. military bases as a show of respect for the victims.


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