Fort Hood shooting

Fort Hood shooting
Title	Fort Hood shooting
Caption	Entrance sign at Fort Hood
Location	Fort Cavazos, Killeen, Texas, Bell County, Texas
Date	November 5, 2009
Time	1300 CST
Type	mass shooting, workplace violence
Fatalities	13
Injuries	30+
Perpetrator	Nidal Hasan
Weapons	FN Herstal M240L machine gun, 9×19mm Glock 19
Motive	Alleged extremist ideology

Fort Hood shooting was a mass shooting at Fort Cavazos in Killeen, Texas on November 5, 2009, carried out by United States Army Major Nidal Hasan. The attack occurred at the Fort Cavazos Soldier Readiness Processing Center and resulted in thirteen deaths and over thirty injuries, prompting investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Defense, and United States Army Criminal Investigation Division. The incident sparked debates involving United States Senate, United States Congress, Department of Homeland Security, and civil rights organizations about the classification, response, and prevention of similar attacks.

Background

In the years preceding November 2009, Fort Cavazos operated as a major United States Army installation hosting units such as the 1st Cavalry Division, III Corps, and the III Corps and Fort Hood provost marshal. The Fort Cavazos Soldier Readiness Processing Center served personnel processing functions for deployments to Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation New Dawn. Concerns about radicalization, mental health, and workplace violence within armed forces drew attention from entities including the Department of Defense Inspector General, the Army Surgeon General, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the National Counterterrorism Center. High-profile events such as the September 11 attacks and subsequent counterterrorism operations influenced screening, intelligence-sharing, and risk-assessment practices among the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Central Intelligence Agency, and National Security Agency.

Shooting incident

On November 5, 2009, at approximately 1:34 p.m., a gunman opened fire at the Fort Cavazos Soldier Readiness Processing Center, targeting soldiers preparing for deployment to Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The assailant used an FN M240L machine gun and a Glock 19, engaging service members and civilians during a processing event. The United States Army Military Police and emergency responders from Bell County Emergency Services and the Killeen Police Department arrived alongside personnel from the Fort Cavazos Emergency Operations Center and Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Hillcrest. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service later coordinated the crime scene investigation, ballistic analysis, and evidence collection with the United States Army Criminal Investigation Division.

Perpetrator

The shooter, Nidal Hasan, was a Major in the United States Army Medical Corps and a psychiatrist assigned to Walter Reed Army Medical Center and later Brooke Army Medical Center. Hasan received his medical degree from Rutgers University and completed residency at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Prior contacts with law enforcement and intelligence agencies included communications with Anwar al-Awlaki and investigations by the FBI Houston Field Office and the Defense Intelligence Agency. The defendant’s alleged motivations were examined in courtrooms involving the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas and influenced testimony from experts affiliated with the American Psychiatric Association, the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System, and the National Institute of Mental Health.

Victims and casualties

Thirteen service members were killed, including soldiers from units such as the 1st Cavalry Division and personnel preparing for deployments to Operation Enduring Freedom. Dozens were wounded and treated at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center, Scott & White Healthcare, and regional trauma centers including Seton Medical Center Harker Heights. Families of the deceased worked with organizations such as the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors and received support from the Department of Veterans Affairs and military casualty assistance officers. The scale of casualties prompted responses from national figures including the President of the United States, members of the United States Senate Armed Services Committee, and leaders in the Department of Defense.

Investigation and legal proceedings

The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the criminal investigation in concert with the United States Army Criminal Investigation Division and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. The case proceeded through military and federal legal channels, culminating in a court-martial convened under the Uniform Code of Military Justice at Fort Hood. During pretrial motions and hearings, prosecutors and defense counsel introduced evidence from witnesses associated with Walter Reed Army Medical Center, communications involving Anwar al-Awlaki, and intelligence collected by the FBI Houston Field Office. The trial included testimony from psychiatrists affiliated with the American Psychiatric Association and legal arguments informed by precedents from the Uniform Code of Military Justice and federal case law. In subsequent administrative and civil actions, plaintiffs filed lawsuits in U.S. District Court and sought determinations involving the Federal Tort Claims Act and designations under the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act.

Aftermath and policy changes

The attack prompted reviews of force protection policies at installations such as Fort Cavazos and prompted changes in procedures by the Department of Defense, Army Training and Doctrine Command, and U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division. Congressional hearings before the House Armed Services Committee and the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee examined issues involving information-sharing among the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the Department of Homeland Security. New protocols addressed threat reporting, mental-health screenings, and soldier readiness verification implemented by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness and the Army Surgeon General. Advocacy groups including the ACLU and veteran service organizations such as the VFW and the American Legion influenced debates about classification, civil liberties, and resources for survivors and families, while memorials and commemorations were organized by local entities including the Killeen Veterans Memorial and military-affiliated charities.

Category:2009 mass shootings in the United States Category:Mass shootings in Texas