US Army psychiatrist who killed 12 soldiers still alive

Washington, Nov. 6 : A US Army psychiatrist, who allegedly killed 12 soldiers and injured 30 others at a military base in Texas, is still alive and has been taken into custody.

Earlier, it was reported that the suspect, Major Nidal Malik Hasan, was among the dead. But the gunman is now said to be in stable condition.

"I would say his death is not imminent," Fox News quoted Lt. Gen. Bob Cone, as saying. The suspect was shot at least four times.

Contrary to earlier reports, a female first responder who shot at Hasan also survived, Cone said.

The rampage, which is believed to be the deadliest at a U.S. military base in history, took place at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday at the post''s Soldier Readiness Center, where soldiers undergo medical screening before being deployed or after returning from overseas.

Although the exact motive of the shooting wasn''t clear, Hasan, a Virginia native and a Muslim, reportedly was against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and had been the target of harassment for his ethnicity.

Hasan had come to federal law enforcement officials’ attention six months ago because of Internet postings that discussed suicide bombings and other threats.

Hasan was working with soldiers at Darnall Army Medical Center on Fort Hood after being transferred in July from Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

His cousin Nader Hasan revealed that Hasan wanted to go into the military against his parent''s wishes — but turned against the wars after hearing the stories of those who came back from Afghanistan and Iraq.

President Barack Obama has called the shooting a "horrific outburst of violence" on members of the nation''s armed forces.

"It is horrifying that they should come under fire at an army base on American soil," he said.

--ANI