Morning:
14°c
Policewoman is massacre hero as she stops muslim major on rampage
Kiran Randhawa and David Gardner06.11.09
A woman police officer was today hailed a heroine after she tackled a gunman on a killing rampage at America's biggest military base.
Kimberly Munley stopped Major Nidal Malik Hasan as he fired on defenceless soldiers who were having medical checks before being sent to Iraq and Afghanistan.
Psychiatrist Hasan, 39, shot dead 13 people and wounded 28 others after shouting “Allahu Akhbar” — God is Great” — and spraying the Fort Hood army base with bullets.
But within three minutes of the alarm being sounded Sergeant Munley, who had been on traffic duty, ran to the scene and fired at Hasan.
As the gun battle raged she was shot in the leg but managed to hit Hasan four times, crucially disabling him before he could kill again.
Today the commander of Fort Hood in Texas said the young sergeant, a mother of one, had put in an “amazing and aggressive performance”. Lieutenant General Bob Cone said: “She walked up and basically engaged him. This could've been far worse. It is very fortunate she had been trained in active response [and] in scenarios like this.”
He added: “She happened to catch him as he walked around the corner and she engaged in gunfire where she shot the suspected assailant four times and she was shot herself.
At least 28 people are recovering in four local hospitals following the attack at 1.30pm local time yesterday. Killer Hasan is on a ventilator in hospital and under armed guard.
Relatives of the 13 victims— 12 soldiers and one civilian —were being comforted as police searched Hasan's home for clues to his motives.
The major, a single man and devout Muslim with no children, had previously been under investigation by the FBI for expressing sympathy with terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan.
He was also said to be “very upset” over orders that he was being sent to Iraq on 28 November for his first tour of duty.
Witnesses described how he shouted “Allahu Akhbar” before opening fire with two semi-automatic weapons.
George Stratton said his son, George Stratton III, was five feet away from the gunman and was wounded in his left shoulder.
He said: “[My son] was there doing medical stuff and all of a sudden someone came through the door, walked behind the desk and just started shooting.”
Sgt Munley, who has a daughter, Jayden, says on her Twitter page: “I live a good life ... a hard one, but I go to sleep peacefully at night knowing that I may have made a difference in someone's life.”
When the 911 call was made from the base to the local police force, she was the first officer to respond.
Tributes were also paid on a Facebook site dedicated to her bravery. Mark Campbell wrote: “My thoughts and prayers go out to SGT Kimberly Munley... I personally feel that this brave and courageous Officer deserves the highest honor that can be bestowed on a civilian... God bless you SGT Kimberly Munley and best wishes for a full and speedy recovery.”
After the attack, soldiers in the medical processing centre ripped off their uniforms to use as bandages.
Military officials refused to rule out the possibility that some casualties may have been victims of “friendly fire” amid the mayhem.
Some of Hasan's victims were women. Lisa Pfund, the mother of a 19-year-old soldier, Amber Bahr, told a TV station that her daughter had been shot in the abdomen and was in stable condition. “We were on the phone. She said, Hi, Mommy, how you doing?' And all of a sudden, she said, I gotta go.'”
The next call she received, Mrs Pfund said, was from an emergency room doctor.
Another of the injured, 21-year-old Private Keara Bono, called her husband to say: “They shot me. And I'm still here in this country.”
He heard shots and shouting, before the line went dead. His wife was shot in the back.
President Barack Obama called the shootings “horrific” and urged Americans to pray for those who were killed and wounded. It is difficult enough when we lose these men and women in battles overseas,” he said.
“It is horrifying that they should come under fire at an army base on American soil.”
The killer, dressed in white Arab clothing, was seen calmly buying coffee and hash browns hours before the killing spree. He was captured on CCTV buying his breakfast as usual from the local convenience store.
Terry Lee, a retired colonel, said Hasan had angered colleagues while he was treating soldiers returning from battle for post-traumatic stress and drug problems. “He was making outlandish comments condemning our foreign policy and claimed Muslims had the right to rise up and attack Americans,” said Colonel Lee.
The gunman's cousin, Nader Hasan, said he dreaded being sent to Iraq. “We've known over the last five years that was probably his worst nightmare. He hadn't even told his family he was going,” he said.
The Muslim Public Affairs Council condemned the shootings as a “heinous incident” and said: “We share the sentiment of our president.”
Reader views (7)
This atrocity is reminiscent to the crooked cop killing of our five soldiers in Afghanistan, but even more obnoxious considering that the assassin was American. Whom can we trust?
- Charles Siu, London UK
This county spends BILLIONS of dollars on detecting people like this. Yet they did not do anything with this obvious threat to security. A dishonorable discharge for is outspoken anti-American statements in his sensitive position would have been appropriate. When someone says that they hate this country's policies and they support Iran and Afghanistan, the military is not the place for them.
- Dwight, Jacksoville USA
"God is great " he said, just before cold-bloodedly killing and seriously injuring a room full of brave young soldiers.
If this is what God approves of,then I don't approve of God.
- Jargonaut, South London
Given the facts so far about Major Hasan, what on earth was he doing in the USA army in a position of trust?
People like this have to be rooted out. His cousin says, that they have known for 5 years that being sent to Iraq was his worst nightmare. Well a lot of other honest people will now have nightmares for a long time.
- Macdangler, Wimbledon SW19
Well done Kimberly you will have certainly saved many lives. My condolences to all the families and friends that have lost loved ones or who have had loved ones injured in this horrific and barbaric attack.
- Richard, Hastings
Wonder what the conclusion of the 6 month FBI investigation on this individual was?
- Paxton, N17
She added that the suspect had aired grievances against being sent overseas.
Why did he sign up? Did he never consider that being in the Army could involve war?
- Guy, Luxembourg
