Military post turns into a crime scene

KILLEEN, Texas (KXAN/AP) - Less than a week after a mass shooting that took the lives of 13 individuals at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas, eyewitness accounts are starting to pour in as well as the suspect's family contacting a lawyer.

Major Nidal Malik Hasan, the suspect in the Fort Hood mass shootings on Thursday that left 13 dead and nearly 30 wounded, is communicating with medical personnel who are caring for him at Brook Army Medical Center. He was unconscious after local authorities shot him during the shootings.

The medical center, however, is not allowing anyone without military identification on the base since he is in a secure area of the hospital.

A medical center spokesperson would not mention if Hasan is discussing the shootings. Eventually, he will be questioned by military law enforcement officials, but they may have to go through his attorney first, who his family contacted on Monday.

"The most major thing is I'd like to meet with my client," said Retired Army Col. John P. Galligan. "And until I meet with my client, I've advised appropriate military officials that no interviews, no interrogations, should be conducted by law enforcement."

Galligan has represented other soldiers in high-profile cases before.

"I'm a believer in the military justice system,” said Gallagan. “I spent 30 years in the army, and since my retirement eight years ago, I've defended many soldiers in that form. And if it's processed properly under the UCMJ it can be as fair and maybe even fairer than other systems.

 The Army said Major Nidal Malik Hasan was the lone shooter in Thursday's mass killing at Fort Hood that left 13 dead.

The Soldier Readiness Center remained a crime scene Monday afternoon with no one allowed in or out of the building where the shooting took place.

"We are now entering a new phase and that is the healing phase," said Lt. General Robert Cone.

The Army has set up a family resource hotline and counseling is available to soldiers and civilians traumatized by Thursday's tragedy.

"We are going to take a very hard look, and make sure we are taking care of our own," said Lt. General Cone.

Reports are slowly starting to trickle in from eyewitnesses of the mass shootings.

Spc. Scott Hamrick and First Sergeant James McLeod made it out of the Soldier Readiness Processing Center alive after some maneuvering to get away from the suspect, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan.

"My initial thought is that it was a drill," said Hamrick. "Because you know you're always getting drilled for situations."

However, what Hamrick thought was a drill turned out to be something closer to war at home.

"I actually did see him fire at the people in the field running toward the barracks," said Hamrick, who in the center, getting ready to deploy to Afghanistan.

McLeod, 41, said he tried to take an offensive position Thursday during the shootings.

"I backed up into a little utility closet," he said. "I was able to see the shooter and I was trying to figure out how I could make my way to him."

McLeod said he found a big piece of metal in the utility closet.

"I was waiting for hit to come to the area where I was standing," he said.

However, the suspected shooter did not come close enough.

Now, the sergeant is replaying those tense minutes from the utility closet.

"I wonder should I have ran out there and put myself in harm's way," McLeod said. "Then I thought about my training. Training is all about offense. You want to put yourself on the offense, but you don't want to put yourself on defense."

Eventually when things cleared, McLeod said he went out and caught up with the suspect right as Officer Kimberly Munley put an end to the shootings.

Both said they are speaking with counselors and with each other to try and heal.

"You'd be surprised how many things sound like a gunshot after you've been that close," Hamrick said. "Getting over it is going to take time and we're going to drive on."

Meanwhile, the grieving continues as the post prepares for a somber memorial service. Security is high on post in anticipation of the President and first lady's arrival Tuesday.

Sunday night, the Army built a wall around the area where the memorial will be held. More than 3,000 people are expected to pay tribute to the fallen.