The shooting rampage in a southern United States military base in Texas, which killed at least 12 soldiers and wounded over 30 others, has sent shock waves across the country.
Deeply saddened by the tragic events at Fort Hood, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said in a statement, "My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the fallen, the wounded, and all those touched by this incident," he said.
Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives, said the shooting is an unspeakable tragedy for the families, soldiers, civilians and support staff on the base. "Our brave men and women in uniform train day in and day out to preserve our security.
They should never have to face the forces of violence here at home," she said.
Talking to Fox News, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison said Fort Hood has "been a very active base in supporting our military in Iraq and Afghanistan."
The US army, in a statement, said there was more than one shooter involved in the incident, one of whom was identified as Major Nidal Malik Hasan, who was about to be deployed in Iraq.
"There were eyewitness accounts that there may have been more than one shooter. They tracked the suspected individuals to an adjacent facility, and they were apprehended. They are soldiers, but, again, they are suspects at this time, and we're looking into that," said Lieutenant General Bob Cone, Commanding General of Fort Hood, Texas.
"I am just not willing to absolutely be convinced that that they're soldiers. Now that we know there are three shooters, unless they all got together and they finally just decided to, you know, wreak havoc at the same time -- and I guess we won't know till we've got them all caught," he said.
Congressman John R Carter told Fox News, "It is imperative that we take the time to gather all the facts, as it would be irresponsible to be the source of rumours or inaccurate information regarding such a horrific event."
"Once we have ascertained all the facts, working with our military leaders and law enforcement officials on the ground, we can determine what exactly happened at Fort Hood today and how to prevent something like this from ever happening again," Texas Senator John Cornyn said.
"This is a terrible tragedy that we will know more about in the coming days. For now, our focus is squarely on taking care of our soldiers and their families," said Army Secretary John M McHugh.
Senator Carl Levin, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he has sought detailed account of the tragic event. "For all Americans, and especially for those of us who know and work closely with members of our military, this is the saddest of days," he said.
Image: Emergency personnel carry a wounded victim at the US army post in Fort Hood, Texas | Photograph: Reuters
