The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

FORT HOOD SHOOTING

Posted on | April 2, 2014 | 58 Comments

UPDATE 10:10 p.m. ET: Some four hours since gunfire erupted at Fort Hood, Texas, we now have confirmed details about the atrocity:

Four people including a gunman are dead and 14 others are injured after a shooting late Wednesday afternoon at Fort Hood, according to several sources including U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin, chairman the House Homeland Security Committee.
The shooting led to a lockdown on post that was lifted just before 9 p.m. Wednesday.
Traffic was heavy Wednesday night as personnel streamed off post.
CBS News identified the shooter as Ivan Lopez, 34.
Lopez, an Army truck driver, was reportedly in uniform at the time of the shooting.

We don’t much about motives, but the shooter is dead, the crisis is over, and now the survivors grieve.

* * * PREVIOUSLY * * *

Details are sketchy at this point, and I don’t want to encourage speculation. TV and online reports indicate that there is an “active shooter” situation at Fort Hood, Texas, and that there are at least two people wounded so far.

UPDATE: Fox News has just reported that, according to a law enforcement source, the shooter has been “neutralized.” Some online reports suggest that this may be a domestic dispute, possibly a murder-suicide. However, I hasten to add that early reports in situations like this are often unreliable. Be patient, and wait for confirmation.

UPDATE II: KWTX-TV reports:

At least one person is dead after a shooting late Wednesday afternoon on Fort Hood, a post spokesman confirmed. Others were injured in the shooting, but the spokesman didn’t say how many.

Again, remember: Early reports are often unreliable.

UPDATE III:

UPDATE IV: Fox News now reports that the gunman is dead, perhaps of a self-inflicted gunshot, and there are three dead and at least 10 wounded. But I emphasize, again, that early reports of an incident like this are often unreliable, and very few facts so far are publicly and officially confirmed.

UPDATE V: Details are now firming up:

 

Category: Crime

Comments

58 Responses to “FORT HOOD SHOOTING”

  1. JeffS
    April 3rd, 2014 @ 3:04 pm

    Two points, Richard.

    1. There is no logic behind not having one secured locker with a couple of firearms in each group’s office. I can’t think of any regulations against it; but there’s a definite mindset against firearms available to troops in garrison or cantonment.

    2. Possibly linked to #1, let me assure you that even the REMFiest of REMFs are NOT trained to handle firearms. They certainly were not back in 2005, when accidental discharges were killing and wounding troops in Kuwait, which is about as REMF as you can get, and still not be in Qatar. Combat troops, yes. Otherwise, no.

    Note that I *agree* with your idea. But my (somewhat outdated) experience in this matter says that the chain of command is conditioned to NOT agree with your idea. Alas.

  2. Adjoran
    April 3rd, 2014 @ 4:43 pm

    No – there are nice nuts, but no nice Anamikas.

  3. richard mcenroe
    April 3rd, 2014 @ 5:13 pm

    I’m trying not to let the Corps hog the whole “every man a rifleman” mojo.

  4. JeffS
    April 3rd, 2014 @ 6:57 pm

    Indeed!

  5. richard mcenroe
    April 3rd, 2014 @ 8:54 pm

    7-round magazines, compact and portable. Ms. Feinstein ain’t figgered that out yet.

  6. richard mcenroe
    April 3rd, 2014 @ 8:56 pm

    I invaded Canada once because of an E-7. Maybe not a blanket rule, but qualified and authorized specific NCO’s.

  7. Quartermaster
    April 4th, 2014 @ 8:55 am

    She’s still nuts.

  8. Kimberlin Unmasked
    April 4th, 2014 @ 11:20 pm

    I am alarmed that so many mentally or emotionally disturbed people are serving and yet are not being treated by the VA before disaster strikes.