Obama leads tributes to Fort Hood victims
Updated on 06 November 2009
US President Barack Obama has ordered the White House flags at half-mast following the "horrific outburst of violence" at a Texas army base in which 13 people were killed.
The US major who shot 13 people dead when he went on the rampage at a Texas army base was due to be deployed to Afghanistan, according to officials.
US-born Muslim Major Nidal Malik Hasan opened fire at the Fort Hood readiness centre just after 1.30 yesterday in what President Obama described as a "horrific outburst of violence".
Army spokesman Lieutenant General Bob Cone said witnesses heard the gunman cry "Allahu Akbar" - Arabic for "God is great" - before opening fire at the Fort Hood complex.
Hasan, a devout American-born Muslim, was shot several times in the aftermath of the rampage by a civilian police officer who was today being hailed as a hero.
Mr Cone said Sgt Kimberly Munley and her partner responded to reported gunfire within three minutes. She then disabled the suspect despite being shot herself in the process.
"It was an amazing and an aggressive performance by this police officer," the military spokesman said.
Relatives said they were shocked, but that being sent to Afghanistan had been Hasan's “worst nightmare”. He is now on a ventilator in hospital under armed guard.
US President Barack Obama urged Americans not to jump to conclusions on the motive behind the mass shooting, saying: "We don't know all the answers yet and I would caution against jumping to conclusions until we have all the facts"
