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AP/Press Association Images

Mass shooting at US base Fort Hood: 14 wounded, gunman reported killed

The Texas base was the scene of a deadly shooting rampage in 2009.

Updated at 01.40am

ONE PERSON HAS been killed and 14 wounded in a shooting at the Fort Hood US military base, scene of a deadly 2009 rampage, officials said.

The Texas base said a gunman was initially reported killed, but it could not confirm media reports that the shooter had taken his own life.

A US official said there was one fatality and 14 people hurt, although the casualty figures were not finalised. “I can’t confirm (the) status of the shooter,” said the official.

The sprawling military site remained on lockdown a couple of hours after staff were ordered to shelter in place, after emergency crews rushed to the scene.

A soldier told CNN he heard gun shots “and assumed they were blank rounds… We then heard a burst, another burst and it was clear they weren’t blank rounds. They were live rounds.”

The TV cable network reported that a shooter — there were reports of possibly a second gunman — had been shot, possibly by a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

In an update, the base said: “Fort Hood’s Directorate of Emergency Services has an initial report that a shooter is dead but this is unconfirmed”.

President Barack Obama, who was in Chicago, said investigators would “get to the bottom of what happened”.

“Obviously, this reopened the pain of what happened at Fort Hood five years ago,” Obama said.

Many of the people there have been on multiple tours of Iraq and Afghanistan, they served with valour, they served with distinction. At their home base they need to feel safe.

CBS News, citing unnamed sources, identified the shooter as a 34-year-old soldier.

The shooting reportedly stemmed from a disagreement between soldiers, the network said.

Obama added: “We’re heartbroken something like this might have happened again”.

On November 5, 2009, Major Nidal Hasan opened fire at a medical facility in the sprawling base that serves as a staging point for soldiers to deploy to combat zones.

Twelve of the 13 dead and 30 of the wounded were soldiers. Hasan was himself shot by a civilian police officer who responded to the attack and Hasan is now partially paralyzed.

A military jury last August sentenced the US-born Muslim of Palestinian descent to death.

The Pentagon said Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel would be kept up to date “as events unfold,” said a spokesman.

Fort Hood is spread out over almost 900 square km, and is the largest US military base with a population of 70,000 including 42,000 military personnel.

The rest are family and civilian staff. The biggest unit stationed there is the 1st Cavalry Division with 17,000. One of its brigades is slated to be deployed in Europe this year on a rotating basis with European partner countries.

© AFP 2014

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    Mute Tweety McTweeter
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    Oct 6th 2019, 1:11 PM

    Non story. He expressed his concerns about some design elements of the proposal. It doesn’t necessarily mean he is against the principal of the development. So what…

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    Mute TamuMassif2019
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    Oct 6th 2019, 1:23 PM

    @Tweety McTweeter: Look at what the builders did to some schools here, many were afraid a strong breeze might knock the front of them down?

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    Mute Irish Spider-Man
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    Oct 6th 2019, 2:04 PM

    @Tweety McTweeter: another two faced Blueshirt

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    Mute Tweety McTweeter
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    Oct 6th 2019, 2:07 PM

    @Irish Spider-Man: Why ?!

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    Mute Pavel Marianski
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    Oct 6th 2019, 2:25 PM

    @Tweety McTweeter: principle

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    Mute Seamus Ryan
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    Oct 6th 2019, 1:21 PM

    I’m surprised he didn’t mention that when FG came into power the country was broke. Seems to be his opening answer to any question I’ve ever heard him asked.

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    Mute Grainnewhale
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    Oct 6th 2019, 1:22 PM

    That’s all very fine but where are the jobs for these people – the roads and public transport are full to capacity.

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    Mute TamuMassif2019
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    Oct 6th 2019, 1:25 PM

    @Grainnewhale: The builders probably came from the North…

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    Mute Shawn O'Ceallaghan
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    Oct 6th 2019, 3:59 PM

    @Grainnewhale: if their buying houses , they probably already have jobs, so at a Minnesota it’s pumping extra cash into clane, driving demand for more services, yes but driving opportunities to provide services too.

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    Mute Grainnewhale
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    Oct 7th 2019, 10:41 PM

    @TamuMassif2019: I’m talking about the people who are going to live in those houses in Clane!

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    Mute Grainnewhale
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    Oct 7th 2019, 10:42 PM

    @Shawn O’Ceallaghan: Not at all they will be heading for Dublin to work!

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    Mute Damon16
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    Oct 6th 2019, 1:41 PM

    Typical NIMBY ism. Either we want affordable housing or not, adding onerous planning regulations to new housing developments 1. increases the costs of the housing that is built and 2. disincentivises the construction of new projects as they are not financially viable at least at a cost that most average people can afford. Well intentioned policies are often the most damaging to ordinary people. The onerous regulations in place for apartment construction for example has meant that it costs more to build them than they can be sold for in many cases for all but the most high end developments.

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    Mute EillieEs
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    Oct 6th 2019, 2:47 PM

    @Damon16: oh I missed where it was mentioned it’s affordable housing. In any event any housing built should be suitable as long term residences where people will want to live and become part of the local community. You seem to be saying it’s ok to just throw anything up anywhere irrespective of design or suitability to a given area. Are you involved in the building trade?

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    Mute Willy Mc Bride
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    Oct 6th 2019, 1:31 PM

    Gotta suit the FFG agenda. Otherwise build somewhere else. ..

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    Mute Den Sullivan
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    Oct 6th 2019, 2:48 PM

    We want more houses .not near me some where else. Built old way with all mod cons but must be cheap as well and add few hundred new rules each year at no cost it all work out

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    Mute TamuMassif2019
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    Oct 6th 2019, 1:24 PM

    Hay at least here they didn’t build in a winter flood zone as they have in other parts of the country?

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    Mute Gary Kearney
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    Oct 6th 2019, 3:45 PM

    So a local TD represented his constituents over a planning issue. Shock horror. Whats so strange about that. TD’s from all parties have done the same.
    Its about the support services in place for these extra people moving into the area.
    Building housing is great but the ancillary services must be there as well.
    That has happened too many times before

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    Mute Paul Dooley
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    Oct 6th 2019, 4:02 PM

    Was it Liam lawlor or Ray Burke that said ,I have nothing to hide’
    Mr durkin is in that class

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    Mute John Tobin
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    Oct 6th 2019, 10:49 PM

    Light touch regulations and bad designs has people out of their homes at the moment. Here we have a wonderful politician with concerns about the design and other aspects of the project and when he beings it to the attention of the relevant authorities he is slated. You are dammed if you do and dammed if you don’t.

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