Multiple Stories of Latest Information on Ft. Hood Shootings

WASHINGTON (AP) - The family of the suspected Fort Hood shooter
says "the actions of their cousin are despicable and deplorable."
A spokeswoman for Nidal Malik Hasan's family says relatives in
Northern Virginia are reaching out to law enforcement Friday to
offer insight. Authorities have said Hasan is suspected in
Thursday's mass killings at Fort Hood military base in Texas.
Hasan's family said in a statement Friday that his actions don't
reflect how they were raised in the U.S. Military officials are
still trying to piece together what may have pushed the 39-year-old
Army psychiatrist, trained to help soldiers in distress, to turn on
his comrades.

FORT HOOD, Texas (AP) - The base commander at Fort Hood says
soldiers who witnessed a shooting rampage that left 13 people dead
reported that the gunman shouted "Allahu Akbar!" before opening
fire at the Texas post.
Lt. Gen. Robert Cone told NBC's "Today" show on Friday that
suspected shooter, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, made the comment, which
is Arabic for "God is great!" before the rampage Thursday that
also left 30 people wounded.
Military officials say they are still piecing together what may
have pushed Hasan, an Army psychiatrist trained to help soldiers in
distress, to turn on his comrades.
Cone says Hasan was not known to be a threat or risk.
Hasan was shot four times during the rampage. Cone says he is
hospitalized in stable condition and that military officials will
interrogate him as soon as possible.

NEW: AP source: Fort Hood suspect was to deploy to Iraq

WASHINGTON (AP) - Defense department officials say the Army
psychiatrist who opened fire on fellow soldiers at Fort Hood was
slated for deployment to Iraq.
One of the military officials says Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan was in
the preparation stage of deployment, which can take months. The
official said Hasan had indicated he didn't want to go to Iraq but
was willing to serve in Afghanistan. The official did not have
authorization to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition
of anonymity.
A second military official said Hasan's family has Palestinian
roots. There have been reports that he was harassed for his Muslim
religion, but the official says there is no indication Hasan filed
a complaint within the military about that.

FORT HOOD-SHOOTING-OFFICER
NEW: Army: Civilian officer shot gunman, ended rampage

FORT HOOD, Texas (AP) - The top commander at Fort Hood is
crediting a civilian police officer for stopping the shooting
rampage that killed 13 people at the Texas post.
Lt. Gen. Bob Cone said Friday morning that Sgt. Kimberly Munley
and her partner responded within three minutes of reported gunfire
Thursday afternoon. Cone said Munley shot the gunman four times
despite being shot herself.
Military officials said Munley was in stable condition Friday.
Cone said, "It was an amazing and an aggressive performance by
this police officer."
Cone also said he was inspired by a woman who helped carry a
wounded victim and used her blouse as a tourniquet, then realized
she'd been shot in the hip.
The suspected gunman, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, is hospitalized on
a ventilator.

FORT HOOD-SHOOTING-NAPOLITANO
US Homeland chief: Texas base shooting 'horrific'

BRUSSELS (AP) - U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet
Napolitano has called the shooting rampage at the U.S. Army's Fort
Hood base "a horrific act of violence."
She refused to divulge whether U.S. investigators considered the
shootings a terrorist act.
Napolitano told reporters at the European Parliament "there is
much we don't know yet" about the attack that left 13 people dead
and 30 wounded in Texas.
The suspected shooter, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, is on a
ventilator and unconscious in a hospital after being shot four
times during the shootings.