Investigators worked doggedly Friday to piece together what apparently drove an Army psychiatrist to open fire on his comrades at Fort Hood in Texas.
While they searched for clues, a conflicting portrait of the accused shooter, Maj. Nidal Hasan, an Arlington native, has continued to emerge. On the one hand, he has been described by some as a gentle man who was involved in his mosque’s charitable endeavors and spoke little of America’s conflicts abroad; but there also seemed to be worrisome signs.
A neighbor said Maj. Hasan, who on Friday night remained hospitalized and unconscious, recently had given away his possessions. Maj. Hasan also may have written an Internet post that praised the heroism of Muslim suicide bombers; and he also was apparently sharply critical of U.S. involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan and dreading his upcoming deployment, which reportedly was set for Friday.
Whether any of those elements played a role in Thursday’s shooting, which left 13 dead and 31 wounded, remains a mystery.
There were unconfirmed reports from witnesses that the gunman shouted “Allahu akbar!” - Arabic for “God is great” - before opening fire. Whether he actually said that is still under investigation, officials said.
“We have a suspect,” said Army Secretary John McHugh said. “We have terrible crimes that have been alleged; we have to understand what caused that suspect to act in the way in which he did.”
A civilian police officer, Sgt. Kimberly Munley, was apparently able to stop the rampage when she shot Maj. Hasan four times after she was shot and wounded. Among the dead: a pregnant woman who was preparing to return home, a man who quit a furniture company job to join the military about a year ago and a woman who had vowed to take on Osama bin Laden after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Maj. Hasan was transferred Friday afternoon from Fort Hood to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, where he was admitted to the intensive care unit.
Maj. Hasan reportedly has not spoken to investigators, who have executed search warrants at his apartment.
The Associated Press reported Friday that Maj. Hasan had legally purchased a gun - a 5.7 mm pistol that was used in the shooting - at a Texas gun store called Guns Galore. The gun has been dubbed a “cop killer” by those who want it off the streets.
The AP also spoke to Maj. Hasan’s neighbors, who said he gave them his belongings and told them goodbye.
Neighbor Patricia Villa said that as recently as the day of the shooting, Maj. Hasan gave her frozen vegetables, an air mattress, T-shirts and a copy of the Koran.
On the day of the shootings, Maj. Hasan also left a voice message to say goodbye to another neighbor, Willie Bell, according to Mr. Bell’s girlfriend, Jaqueline Harris. “He just wanted to thank Willie for being a good friend and thank him for being there for him,” Ms. Harris said. “That was it. We thought it was just a nice message to leave.”
Maj. Hasan also said that it was “nice knowing you, old friend. I’m going to miss you.”
Jose Padilla, the owner of Maj. Hasan’s apartment complex, told the AP that Maj. Hasan gave him notice two weeks ago that he was moving out this week.
Earlier this week, Maj. Hasan asked Mr. Padilla his native language. When Mr. Padilla said it was Spanish, Maj. Hasan immediately went up to his apartment to get him a Spanish-language Koran. Mr. Padilla said Maj. Hasan also refused to reclaim his deposit and last month’s rent, surrendering $400 that the major said should go to someone who needed it.
“I cannot comprehend that the enemy was among us,” Mr. Padilla told the AP, as he teared up. “I feel a little guilt that I was basically giving housing to someone who is going to do so much destruction.”
U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, Texas Republican, has said that Maj. Hasan dreaded his upcoming deployment to Iraq, and a member of his family said he was tired of the harassment he received from other soldiers for being a Muslim.
A soldier recently back from Iraq vandalized Maj. Hasan’s car in August because he objected to Maj. Hasan’s faith and a bumper sticker that read: “Allah Is Love,” according to a Killeen, Texas, police report.
Kim Rosenthal, another neighbor, told the AP that Maj. Hasan didn’t seem too upset by his scratched vehicle, even though it was damaged so much that he got a new one. “He said it was Ramadan and that he had to forgive people,” Miss Rosenthal said. “He forgave him and moved on.”
That stance of forgiveness seemed at odds with militant statements about Islam that a former colleague said Maj. Hasan also made.
“He said maybe Muslims should stand up and fight against the aggressor,” retired Col. Terry Lee told Fox News. “At first we thought he meant help the armed forces, but apparently that wasn’t the case. Other times he would make comments we shouldn’t be in the war in the first place.”
Investigators also are looking at an Internet post that appears under the name Nidal Hasan that equated a Muslim suicide bomber with the heroism of an American soldier throwing himself on a grenade to save his comrades.
“If one suicide bomber can kill 100 enemy soldiers because they were caught off guard, that would be considered a strategic victory,” the post read. “You can call them crazy if you want, but their act was not one of suicide that is despised by Islam.
Asked at a news conference Friday whether that post was evidence of overlooked warning signs, Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey said: “Way to early to tell.”
“I know that’s part of the investigation, and I know they’ll look very hard at that,” he said.
Authorities still have not decided whether Maj. Hasan will face charges in federal court or through a military court-martial.
While investigators do their work, Maj. Hasan’s relatives, who are cooperating with investigators, also wait for answers.
In a statement released to the media by Maj. Hasan’s family, his cousin Nader Hasan said his family was “shocked and saddened by the terrible events at Fort Hood” and sent “the families of the victims our most heartfelt sympathies.”
“We, like most of America, know very few details at this time,” Nader Hasan said. “Our family loves America. We are proud of our country, and saddened by today’s tragedy. Because this situation is still unfolding, we have nothing else that we are able to share with you at this time.”
Later on Friday, Nader Hasan, in an e-mail to the AP, said his family is mortified, and his cousin’s reported actions do not reflect their beliefs or principles.
“We cannot explain, nor do we excuse what happened yesterday,” he said.
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